Insecurity: South West Governors Inaugurate Operation Amotekun
South West governors on Thursday inaugurated the Western Nigeria Security Network, (WNSN) codenamed Operation Amotekun.
The inauguration which was held at the car park of Oyo State Governor’s Office was done by the Ondo State governor and Chairman, Western Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
He was joined by the host governor, Seyi Makinde; Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; the Deputy Governor of Osun State, Mr. Gboyega Alabi, who represented Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Mrs Noimot Salako-Oyedele, who represented Governor Dapo Abiodun.
After the inauguration, the governors’ drove the vehicles round Ibadan metropolis before they dispatched to their respective states.
The six-state governors had constituted the outfit to tackle challenges of insecurity, including armed robbery, kidnapping and banditry in the region.
While all the governors were expected to be in attendance, only Rotimi Akeredolu, Kayode Fayemi, and Seyi Makinde, governors of Ondo, Ekiti and Oyo were present.
The governors from the six states in the South West region on Thursday declared that the region and its Governors strongly believed in the unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its indissoluble sovereignty.
They made this declaration during the launch of a new security outfit code-named Amotekun.
Speaking, Akeredolu said that governors in the region were committed, in all ramifications, to the ideals that will make the country stronger and more united, and not to divide it.
He added that the establishment of Amotekun is without prejudice to the expectations of patriotic discharge of their mandates as provided in our laws, noting that the region is concerned with the security of its people and property.
Akeredolu said, “Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, it is appropriate for me at this juncture, to state that the Southwest States of the Federation believes in the unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its indissoluble sovereignty. We are committed, in all ramifications, to the ideals that will make the country stronger and more united.
The various nation-states within the Federation are diverse, yet almost all of us agree that our strength is in our unity. Consequently, we shall continue to support the Federal Government, under the able and indefatigable leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, in its avowed commitment and determination to take the country to the next level. Let me on this note thank DAWN Commission for the wonderful job done in crafting the operational framework for Amotekun.
“The Commission has taken care of all grey areas that could cause friction in the operations of the personnel that will be deployed for the programme. As a matter of fact, the Nigeria Police will oversee and moderate the activities of Amotekun, thus making its operation conform to the acceptable standards. Amotekun is the Yoruba name for the Leopard.
“It is not the Tiger, Ekun. It is also important that I allay the fears of all those who have expressed misgivings as regards the quality of the personnel to be recruited to serve in the outfit.
‘’There is an adequate recruitment mechanism for the exercise. The conventional security agencies will participate, actively, in profiling the recruits.
“Nobody with questionable character will participate in the programme. We will make it difficult for undesirable elements to compound the challenges being encountered. Proper background checks will be carried out on personnel to be recruited while the needed registration/identification of such personnel will be done to ensure accountability. ‘’
Makinde in his welcome address, added that it was the priority of the governors in the region to ensure that both indigenes and settlers living within the boundaries of their various states carry out their legitimate activities in a secure environment.
“As governors of these states, it is our priority to ensure that both indigenes and settlers living within the boundaries of our various states can carry out their legitimate activities in a secure environment. The security of their lives and properties should be of paramount importance.
Meantime, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South West zone has lauded the efforts of the South West Governors at securing the Yoruba Nation through the launch of the Security Network Code named “Amotekun” with its operational base at Ibadan, the capital of the old South West Region.
The party in a statement signed by the APC Zonal Publicity Secretary, Rt. Hon. Karounwi Oladapo, was particularly impressed that the governors hearkened to the call of the party at the height of kidnapping activities in July, 2019, asking the governors to rise up to the challenge of kidnapping and other forms of criminality in the Region.
This, it said led to the prompt actions taken by the Governors and other critical stakeholders that brought the currency of abductions to the barest minimum in the Zone.
“The strategic approach of the governors to deliver their mandates of securing the life and properties of the Yoruba people was responsible for the purchase of security vehicles, motorcycles, communication gadgets and the coordination of the conventional security agencies and unconventional security outfits, preparatory to the launch that we are about to witness”, the party said.
