By Ghazali Ibrahim
Oyo State has taken delivery of two surveillance aircraft valued at about ₦7.76 billion as part of efforts to strengthen security and improve intelligence gathering across the state.
Governor Seyi Makinde received the aircraft on Tuesday at the upgraded Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport in Ibadan, nearly a year after announcing plans to procure the platforms to bolster the state’s security architecture.
The aircraft, identified as Diamond DA42 MNG surveillance platforms, are designed for intelligence, reconnaissance, and aerial surveillance operations.
They are expected to support security agencies in monitoring forests, border communities, and other hard-to-reach areas often exploited by criminal elements.
The delivery marks a significant step in the state government’s strategy to enhance intelligence gathering, aerial monitoring, and rapid response to emerging security threats.
According to the state government, the aircraft will also strengthen security operations along Oyo State’s borders with Kwara State and the Benin Republic, areas considered vulnerable to cross-border criminal activities.
The arrival of the aircraft follows delays in their assembly and delivery, with the government previously assuring residents that they would arrive before the end of July.
The Diamond DA42 MNG is a multi-role surveillance aircraft widely used for aerial intelligence, reconnaissance, and law enforcement missions.
