Ogun community builds police station to tackle hoodlums

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Residents of Odewale Town, a community in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, have built a police station to address incessant hoodlum attacks in the neighbourhood.

The community, which is under Agbado Divisional Headquarters, took the initiative following rising cases of robbery, especially during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The state Commissioner of Police, Kenneth Ebrimson, lauded the initiative while opening the project on Friday.

Ebrimson, represented by the Area Commander Sango-Ota, ACP Monday Agbonika, said the establishment of the station would enable operatives to respond swiftly to distress calls and curb crime in the neighbourhood.

“Even though it (police station) is under the Divisional Police Officer, Agbado, it is not a police post because of the number of personnel that will be deployed there. It is different from a police post because it controls a larger area,” the CP said.

A leader in the community, Mr Femi Farayola, said the idea to have a police station in Odewale became necessary as a result of insecurity of lives and property in the community and its environs.

He said, “As we all know, Odewale is located along the railway line. The town is surrounded by other communities/towns such as Ope-Ilu, Araromi, Arijeloro, Campbell, Itoki, Araromi, Aina-Adubuleja, Aboro, Akera, Dalemo, among others. As a result of its closeness to Railway line, the town is exposed to hoodlums who always converge to terrorise the residents.’’

“The activities of these criminals are always reported to Divisional Police Headquarters, Agbado. Regrettably, before the arrival of the police, these hoodlums would have disappeared because of long distance coupled with bad road network.”