The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has demanded an explanation from Governor Seyi Makinde over the reported whereabouts and operational status of two surveillance aircraft acquired by his administration, following a prolonged attack on an Operation Burst base along the Igbeti-Igboho Road.
Suspected bandits reportedly attacked the security base in Oorelope Local Government Area on Sunday, operating for more than an hour before withdrawing after allegedly carting away some items and setting the facility and a vehicle ablaze.
No casualties were reported in the attack.
The APC said the incident was particularly troubling because the area was reportedly among locations where the state government had said it deployed the aircraft for security surveillance.
In a statement issued on Monday, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, questioned why the attackers were able to operate for such a prolonged period without being detected or repelled if the surveillance aircraft were operational and deployed to the area.
Operation Burst is a joint security outfit involving personnel of the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Sadare said the attack had raised questions about the effectiveness of the security surveillance arrangements announced by the Makinde administration, particularly following the reported procurement of the aircraft at a cost the APC put at N7.8 billion.
“Since the day Gov. Makinde celebrated the purported delivery of the two aircraft, nothing has either been heard or felt about their deployment to survey the airspace in the state,” Sadare said.
He argued that the reported attack on the Igbeti axis, which the party said had been identified as a location for the aircraft’s operations, made the government’s claims about the surveillance equipment worthy of scrutiny.
“Sad enough, the Igbeti where the base station for the aircraft was reportedly situated came under heavy attacks for more than an hour and there was no surveillance aircraft to track the attackers and possibly repel them,” he said.
The APC therefore described the surveillance aircraft project as a “question begging for answers” and challenged the governor to account for their deployment and functionality.
Beyond security, the opposition party also linked its criticism to Makinde’s repeated attacks on some economic policies of the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Sadare recalled the governor’s criticism of the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira, which Makinde had previously argued had imposed hardship on Nigerians while increasing revenues available to state governments.
According to the APC, the increased revenue accruing to Oyo State should translate into stronger security and improved living conditions for residents.
The party accused the governor of failing to adequately deploy the state’s increased revenues to address pressing needs, alleging that public funds had instead been spent on what it described as “inanities and cosmetic projects.”
It specifically questioned the decision to spend N7.8 billion on surveillance aircraft, arguing that a fraction of the expenditure could have been directed towards alternative security technologies and facilities.
“A good example is the N7.8billion which he spent on the procurement of surveillance aircraft when he could have spent five per cent of the amount on cheaper technological equipment and facilities to achieve better results,” Sadare said.
The APC further challenged Makinde to explain what it described as his failure to use the state’s increased revenues to improve the lives of ordinary residents during his tenure.
The latest criticism comes amid renewed security concerns in parts of Oyo State following the attack on the Operation Burst facility.
