Adeleke Seeks New Drones, Alleges Five Purchased Under Oyetola Missing

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has directed his security team to begin the process of acquiring new surveillance drones and other security equipment, following the alleged disappearance of five drones purchased during the administration of his predecessor, Gboyega Oyetola.

Oyetola, who served as Osun governor from 2018 to 2022 and is a nephew of President Bola Tinubu, currently holds the position of Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.

The decision came after a series of security meetings chaired by Adeleke over the past four days, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by the governor’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed.

Rasheed said official records indicate that the state government fully paid for five security drones under Oyetola’s administration, but none of the devices were available when Adeleke took office in 2022.

In addition, a security-related contract worth nearly N300 million was awarded by the former government to connect the state’s security communication centre with Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs). The current administration alleges that the contract was never executed, and the armoured vehicles were left abandoned across different parts of the state until the present government recovered and refurbished them for operational use.

Following a review of the situation, Governor Adeleke ordered steps to procure new drones and other security gadgets to strengthen the state’s security architecture and boost efforts against crime and banditry.

“We are not interested in what has happened in the past. Our goal is to acquire new drones and other needed equipment and materials for our formal and informal security networks to combat crimes and banditry in this state,” Adeleke was quoted as saying.

The governor also reassured residents of his administration’s commitment to the safety of lives and property, urging the public to report any suspicious movements or individuals to security agencies.

The statement did not specify the number of drones being considered for purchase or the projected cost of the acquisition.

The development comes amid a recent rise in kidnapping incidents across the country, including the abduction of dozens of teachers and pupils from schools in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, which shares a border with Osun State.