Presidency Tackles Makinde Over Insecurity, Says “Fix Oyo First

The Presidency has accused the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, of politicising the issue of insecurity following his criticism of the Federal Government over delays in the establishment of state police across the country.

According to reports monitored by Ireporter Online, the Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, faulted Makinde’s comments in a statement shared on his verified X account on Friday, insisting that the Tinubu administration remains fully committed to tackling insecurity nationwide.

The presidential aide alleged that the Oyo State governor was attempting to transfer responsibility for security challenges in the state to the Federal Government instead of addressing issues within his jurisdiction.

Makinde had earlier criticised the Federal Government for what he described as slow progress toward the implementation of state police, while also alleging that Lagos State failed to actively support the establishment of the Amotekun Corps as a regional security initiative in the South-West.

Reacting to the claims, Olusegun dismissed the allegations against Lagos State, maintaining that President Tinubu had always supported local security initiatives aimed at complementing federal security operations.

He further argued that Lagos had continued to invest heavily in security infrastructure and welfare for security agencies, unlike Oyo State, where he claimed the Amotekun Corps suffers from inadequate funding and poor equipment despite growing security concerns.

Olusegun questioned the readiness of the Oyo State government to manage the financial and operational demands of a full-fledged state police structure if it was unable to properly fund the regional security outfit already in place.

The presidential aide stressed that security sector reforms such as state police require careful constitutional and financial planning rather than political rhetoric, adding that President Tinubu remains focused on implementing sustainable solutions to Nigeria’s security challenges.

He subsequently urged Governor Makinde to prioritise resolving insecurity in Oyo State before criticising the Federal Government’s approach to national security matters.