The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has inaugurated the Kwara State chapter of the Oodua Dependable Security Team.

An announcement made available to newsmen reads The Oodua People’s Congress’ effort to improve security in Yorubaland and beyond, according to Adams, who inaugurated the security team on Friday in Offa, was to increase security in the South West.

The statement read, “Nigeria has been most hit by various security challenges.The South West is not spared either.

“In our attempt to check the security deficit, there is need for us to address the situation and that is why we are here to salvage the situation.”

Adams added that although, Kwara State belonged to the North Central region, it remains an integral part of Yorubaland.

He further stated that apart from addressing security challenges in the state, the team would assist the already existing security agencies with surveillance and information gathering across the 16 local government areas of the state.

He said, “This is part of our plan and ongoing strategy to reduce the security deficit in Yoruba land. The security team is to re-energise our grassroots security network across the South West region and beyond.

“Of the 36 states in Nigeria, Kwara is the ninth largest in area, but the sixth least populous, with an estimated population of about five million people.

“The Oodua Dependable Security Team will be complementing the efforts of the police in the state, especially in the area of intelligence gathering and surveillance.

The 16 local governments in the state will all have their security concerns handled by the newly formed security team.

“We have our security team that is very active and visible in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun and Kwara is our present point of call for the launching and inauguration of the Oodua Security Dependable Team because it is my belief that the state is very strategic to us in Yoruba land,” he added.

The Kwara State coordinator of the Oodua Dependable Security Team , Comrade Ganiyu Oladipu, expressed hope that with the inauguration of the Oodua team, Kwara would become safer for residents.

Aare Adams, also urged the Kwara State Government as well as traditional rulers across the state to support the initiative, stressing that the focus is to assist the state in ensuring effective security.

Members of the National Executive Council and National Coordinating Council of the Oodua People’s Congress were present at the event.