…commandant says group has skills, local intelligence to perform
The Civilian Joint Task Force, CJTF, has pledged to end banditry, kidnapping and other forms of insecurity in Ekiti State and Nigeria if the government provides necessary support.
Speaking during a security summit held in Ado-Ekiti, the Commandant of CJTF in Ekiti State, Badmus Oluwasesan, said the group possesses the skills, expertise, experience and capacity to make the state safer and crime-free.
He explained that the summit was organized to educate officers on the task ahead and train them on modern methodologies of intelligence gathering and security operations.
Oluwasesan appealed to the Ekiti State Government to give the group necessary support, while calling on the Federal Government to partner with CJTF ahead of the proposed establishment of state police.
Also speaking, the CJTF Regional Commandant, Oba Gbadamosi Oluwabusuyi, noted that CJTF personnel are natives of the towns and states where they operate and therefore understand the terrain properly. He said the group’s local knowledge gives it an advantage in tracking and preventing crime.
“Federal Government should invest in the group with a promise that it will assist in curbing crimes to the nearest minimum,” he said.
Delivering a lecture at the summit, guest lecturer and retired police officer, Mr. Marcus Ogundola, described the proposed establishment of state police as the solution to insecurity, and urged the Federal Government to expedite action on it.
Ogundola urged members of the public to always provide credible information to security agencies and avoid spreading fake news, which he said worsens tension and hampers operations.
In his contribution, the Senior Special Assistant to the Ekiti State Governor on Intelligence, Folorunso Ajayi, described CJTF as a very coordinated and organized group which, he said, would “do wonders if given the necessary support.”
Security analysts say community-based groups like CJTF have become critical in the fight against banditry because of their grassroots presence and intelligence network. However, they note that for such groups to be effective, they must receive proper training, funding and legal backing from government.
The summit ended with a resolution by CJTF leaders to intensify collaboration with traditional rulers, community leaders and other security agencies to strengthen early warning systems across the 16 local government areas of Ekiti State.
