The Ondo State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating drug trafficking, cybercrime, and violent crimes in the state, identifying the menaces as fundamental threats to sustainable development.
While stressing that security and the rule of law form the foundational pillar of his administration’s seven-point development agenda, Aiyedatiwa harped on a proactive and youth-centric strategy to combat crime at its roots.
The governor stated this during a courtesy visit from a delegation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), led by Mr. Cheikh Touré, Country Representative, Nigeria Office, at the Governor’s Office in Alagbaka, Akure, the state capital.
According to him, the state has consistently supported security agencies through intelligence gathering, prosecution, logistics, and technical backing to strengthen the fight against crime.
“In recent times, we distributed about 75 hybrid vehicles to our security agents to aid their operations, especially in flashpoint areas across the state. We have also given massive support to the NDLEA to tackle illicit drug cultivation and trafficking, particularly cannabis, which grows freely in some parts of the state,” the governor said.
Aiyedatiwa further highlighted Ondo State’s youth-focused initiatives, such as the One Youth, One Skill programme, which trains and empowers young people with vocational skills and startup grants, aimed at discouraging them from crime and fostering peace and productivity.
“Our ultimate goal is to build a resilient society where our youths are positively engaged and our communities live in peace and dignity. That is why we are ready to partner with the United Nations and other stakeholders to tackle crimes collectively,” he added.
On his part, Touré, who commended the efforts of the Ondo State Government in the areas of security, economic development, and youth empowerment, explained that UNODC’s mission is not only to engage at the national level but also to work directly with states and local governments to ensure grassroots impact.
Touré, who noted that Nigeria has one of the highest rates of drug addiction globally, stressed the need for preventive strategies, including education at primary and tertiary levels, community-based interventions, and stronger inter-agency collaboration to address drug abuse, human trafficking, and financial crimes.
He assured that the UNODC would explore more partnerships with Ondo State to strengthen youth resilience, enhance prosecution capacity, and reduce the prevalence of drug abuse and other crimes.
He said, “Ondo State has shown commendable commitment, and we are here to see how best to consolidate our work at the grassroots level, especially in empowering young people and strengthening institutions to curb crime.”
