Oyo State Government has sought the cooperation of security agencies, traditional rulers and other stakeholders to halt illegal migration into the state amidst the ongoing fight against COVID-19.

Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun, the State Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, made the call during a sensitization drive on the COVID-19 pandemic in Oke Ogun area of the state.

Olatubosun’s call is contained in a statement issued by Mr. Taiwo Adisa, the Chief Press Secretary to the state governor on Saturday in Ibadan.

Olatunbosun, who led other members of the state COVID-19 taskforce’s media team, said that the concerted efforts of the stakeholders and the state’s security architecture in border towns were necessary to prevent illegal entries, which might pose threat to public health.

He added that both conventional and non-conventional security apparatuses were important in the bid to check illegal entry into the state.

The commissioner said that many towns and villages in the Oke-Ogun area share boundaries with neighboring Kwara and the Benin Republic.

“In order to check the influx of illegal migrants, who might have contracted COVID-19 into the state, it has become imperative for all stakeholders to work together.

“Both conventional and non-conventional security agencies have roles to play in stopping the illegal immigrants through the borders,’’ Olatunbosun said.

He said that the state task force, under the leadership of Gov. Makinde was doing everything possible to fight the pandemic.

The commissioner remarked that the sensitization was aimed at enlightening the people of the areas on how they could prevent COVID-19.

“Apart from sensitization, the state government has been distributing face masks to residents of the areas.

The COVID-19 task force media team and the Nigeria Red Cross Society, represented by Mrs. Adekunbi Oladipo, visited some markets and palaces in the Oke-Ogun communities to enlightening the people and distributed face masks freely to the people.

The residents were urged to adhere to all government’s directives on physical distancing, hand washing, the use of sanitizers, and the wearing face masks.