By Adekola Afolabi
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The Ondo State House of Assembly has passed a resolution calling on all security agencies including military and paramilitary in the state to beef up their security strategies on the highways with a view to curbing a reoccurrence of kidnapping activities in the state.

 Members of the Assembly unanimously called on the security agencies to intensify their surveillance across the state and put a stop to all form of criminal activities especially during Christmas and new year season.

The plenary sitting was historic in that it was the first the aggrieved lawmakers would attend after the November 9, 2018, leadership crisis that rocked the legislative arm.

The Speaker of the House, Mr Bamidele Oleyelogun who presided over the plenary sitting frowned at the incessant cases of kidnapping especially along Ikun/Ose/Oba roads in Ose and Akoko South-West Local Government Areas of the state.

Oleyelogun appealed to the state governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to beef up security along Owo -Ikare axis and also put in place joint security patrol team to nip in the bud cases of kidnapping in the affected areas.

The House also charged Federal Roads Maintenance Agency to rehabilitate all bad sections of the roads to ensure free movement of vehicles and prevent kidnappers from hiding under the bad roads to perpetrate crimes.

The resolution is coming few days after the abduction and death of a bursary staff of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Mr. Taiwo Akinyemi and some innocent passengers along Akure Owo expressway.

The House expressed concern about high rate of kidnapping cases along Akure/Owo -Ikare road, saying that the ugly trend must be urgently addressed to ensure the safety of lives and property of innocent citizens.

The lawmakers equally enjoined the public to be security conscious and report any strange face in their environment to the nearest police station for action.

In his contribution, a lawmaker representing Ose State Constituency, Mr. Olusola Oluyede said kidnapping activities have become a daily affair along Molege to Elegbeka axis. He therefore appealed to the FERMA to help fill up some failed portions of the road.

On his part, a lawmaker representing Akoko South-West State Constituency 2, Mr. Felemu-Gudu Bankole called for more reinforcement of security personnel on the highway to secure the roads and reduce the rate of kidnapping in the affected areas.

Other lawmakers including  Dr. Kaseem Suleiman and Engr. Musa Mukaila however advised the state government to engage the services of the vigilante group in assisting security personnel at the grass roots.