Ogun State Government on Thursday, donated 25 patrol vehicles to the state police command just as it acquired surveillance drones to monitor criminal activities in all parts of the state.
Governor Dapo Abiodun donated the vehicles in the presence of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, at the Arcade Ground, Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, even as he called on the force to include technology in it’s crime fighting efforts.
He said acquiring the drones was one of the proactive steps his administration has taken in collaboration with Lagos and Oyo states to effectively monitor activities on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to ensure prompt response in emergency situations.
The drones, the governor noted, would be operated by trained personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Department of Stata Service (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC).
Governor Abiodun who had earlier received the Inspector General in his office said: “As a gesture of appreciation of you and all what your are doing to law enforcement and effective policing in our state and by extension Nigeria, we have decided to complement you and your efforts by donating today, 25 patrol vans to the police and our law enforcement architecture. This, we believe, will commemorate your first official visit to Ogun State.
“Towards ensuring peace in our state, we will continue to strengthen and support our already established Security Trust Fund (STF) by procuring relevant gadgets, including drones. We will continue to argument the allowances and living condition of our security personnel to motivate them to enhance security and safety in our state.”
The governor, who was impressed with the efforts of the police boss at repositioning the force for optimal performance in line with the tenet of the President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, however called for the integration of modern technology in tackling the various security challenges facing the nation.
“As we acknowledged your alignment with the tenet of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, we urged the integration of cutting edge surveillance technology to combat the challenges of banditry and terrorism in the nation,” the governor advised.
He said Ogun State remains steadfast in fulfilling its constitutional role by prioritizing the welfare and security of the people through fostering effective inter-agencies cooperation among security agencies in the state.
Prince Abiodun said his administration in the past four and a half years, has procured more than 100 patrol vehicles and motorcycles, as well as over 300 communication gadgets for security agencies in a bid to keep the peace, assuring that his administration would spare nothing at ensuring that residents live in a stable environment and engage in business activities without fear of molestation.
The governor described the Inspector General of Police as a dutiful officer and a fine gentleman who through his educational background and professional dedication was poised at ensuring that Nigerians have a police force they could be proud of.
“You have been deliberate and intentional in the systematic redesigning of the operational strategies and administrative policies of the police force which is driven by purposeful leadership and capacity enhancement.
“The impactful motivation you continually instill in your personnel through timely promotion and incentives, have boosted their performance and dedication. As an expert in peace and conflict studies, you have exemplified the essence of positive police/civil relations, elevating the trust of Nigerians in the police by addressing misconducts with decisive action.
“Your commitment to community policing has strengthened the bond between the law enforcement and the community members significantly improving the intelligence capacity of the officers. Realizing that modern policing necessitate cooperation with all and is underpinned by technological advancement, you put your efforts and encouraged continued innovations in these areas,” the governor added.
Prince Abiodun lauded the police authority for its infrastructural development efforts in that state command, particularly the new police headquarters building, the Technical Intelligence Unit, the Complaints Response Unit, and the Olukayode Adeolu Egbetokun Multi-purpose Cooperative Hall.
Also speaking, Egbetokun said his vision was to put in place a professionally competent police force that is service oriented, rule of law compliant, people friendly and positioned to respond appropriately and adequately to the dynamics of crimes in the society.
He acknowledged the massive infrastructural development across the state, disclosing that more police stations and more Area Commands would be created as well as the deployment of more mobile policemen squadrons to provide adequate security in the state.
The IGP praised Governor Abiodun’s innovative idea in the purchase of the drones, noting that the gesture would further enhance the security of the state, even as he called on other states to take the same step to ensure the security of their people.

Google on Tuesday announced the appointment of Nigeria-born Alex Okosi as its Managing Director for Africa.

Vice President, EMEA Emerging Markets at Google, Meir Brand, in a statement said Okosi would be responsible for Google’s operations in Africa and help businesses and economies grow.

Brand said that the role is as well as expanding access and providing tools to help the next billion users get more from the Web.

“Alex is a proven leader with a wealth of experience in the media and technology industries.

‘’He has a deep understanding of African countries and a passion for using technology to empower people and businesses.

‘’Okosi is a seasoned media, entertainment, and technology leader,’’ he said.

According to him, prior to joining YouTube, Okosi held the position of Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Viacom International Media Networks Africa and BET International.

He said that in his most recent position at YouTube, Okosi played a pivotal role in steering the platform’s growth and expansion across Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey.

“I am excited at the prospect of leading Google’s team in Africa and the opportunity to be an even closer part of this diverse and dynamic region, which is so close to my heart,” Okosi said.

Okosi said that he believes in the potential for technology and in particular, the internet to improve people’s lives and to help individuals and businesses in Africa to thrive.

He said that Google has been operating in Africa for over a decade and has offices in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.

According to him, the company’s products and services are used by millions of people in Africa every day.

Microblogging platform, X( formerly known as Twitter ) is set to have video and audio call features.

Elon Musk, CEO of X, made this known in a terse tweet on Thursday.

This announcement is coming a few weeks after X commenced paying rewards to creators who are Twitter Blue subscribers.

In the tweet, Musk said the new features will work on iOS, Mac, Android, and even PC.

According to him, using these new features will not require the use of a mobile number, adding that the new features will be unique in the future.

He wrote, “Video & audio calls coming to X. Works on iOS, Android, Mac & PC. No phone number needed. X is the effective global address book. That set of factors is unique.”