Pay your CDA security levy or join night guards - Ogun police boss warns

The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, has warned recalcitrant community residents who fail to pay their monthly security dues to the night guards employed by their Community Development Associations (CDAs) to either cooperate with their co-residents or be ready to join in the night watch of their areas.

Iliyasu explained that the warning had become necessary in view of what he called the rising trend in burglary and stealing at night in some communities across the state.

Giving the warning at the official inspection of the proposed Area Community Development Council (ACDC) of Ilupeju Obantoko in the Odeda local government area of the state by inspectors from the Ministry of Community Development and Co-operatives held at the Morekete open ground, Obantoko, at the weekend, the Ogun State police boss, whose message was delivered by the Obantoko Divisional Police Officer, Veronica Osakwe, said the issue of non-payment of security levy has been a major complaint of the CDAs.

Osakwe said Iliyasu had consequently directed her to tell the residents thus, “That, henceforth, anybody who has a report of non-payment of security levy against him/ her should be ready to join the night guards. Your joining the night guards will make up for your inability to pay your levy,” adding that anybody brought to her over noncompliance would be taken straight to the police Commissioner for prosecution.

Earlier, the zonal chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Taiwo Akinlade, disclosed that security reports from the Obantoko area on security were not satisfactory. “You can imagine a car stolen even when the owner had removed the battery. Our CDAs have to buckle up on security issue,” Akinlade said.

The inspection exercise, despite its overwhelming attendance from the proposed 47 CDAs, however, suffered a setback as the ACDC leadership could not make available some materials for inspection as requested.

The intervention of elder statesman, Chief Olu Agemo, and chairman of Odeda Community Development Association Council (CDC), Alhaji Sugar, brought relief as the inspectors, led by the deputy director from the ministry, Mr. Mudashiru, and the zonal officer, Mrs Abiola Aleshinloye, conceded that the documents can be made available latest today.

Aleshinloye confirmed to our correspondent on phone yesterday afternoon that the materials had been made available.