By Gbenga Abulude
Oyo State Governor, Mr Seyi Makinde, Thursday, backed the position canvassed by his Ondo state counterpart, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, alluding that the Western Nigeria Security Network otherwise known as Amotekun, will not be under the control of the Inspector General of Police or any federal establishment.
Makinde said the security Network which exists in all the six southwestern states, was backed by law and would be independently controlled by the state governments.
The New Diplomat reports Akeredolu, had disagreed on Wednesday with Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Research and Planning, Mr Adeleye Oyebade, who said Amotekun will be subsumed under community policing about to take off in different parts of the country.
Oyebade also stated that state governors will be responsible for the salaries of operatives to be co-opted into the community policing strategy in the different communities where they will operate.
Trumpeting what Akeredolu had said, Makinde in a statement by his chief Press Secretary, Mr Taiwo Adisa said, “I am saying it for the whole world to hear; Amotekun is here to stay with us. And it will not be under the control of the federal establishment. It will be under our control. Security of our people is extremely important, because nothing can take place, as far as we are concerned, in an atmosphere of insecurity.
“We want our people to sleep with their two eyes closed. Of course, security is one of the pillars of this administration and we must do everything possible to invest in the security of lives and property.
“Oyo State is very large; in terms of land size, we are more than all the states of South-East Nigeria put together. So, we have a lot to do to protect the state. We have international borders, so there is smuggling taking place. They killed a Customs Official in Saki a few weeks ago; those things are not acceptable to us.”
In a similar stance, the Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, had also rejected the plan to put Amotekun under the federal government.
National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr Yinka Odumakin, on Thursday said, “We reject any attempt to subsume Amotekun under any community policing scheme of the Federal Government to be mere informants to the police.
“Amotekun should be independent in carrying out its responsibility of securing residents of South-West with defined operational cooperation with the police but not function as its subordinate.
“While Amotekun has now come to stay, there must be no let or hindrance in the pursuit of a federal state so we can revert to the multi-level policing status of Nigeria of the past.”
Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Operation Amotekun, is a security outfit based in all the six states of the South Western, Nigeria, responsible for curbing insecurity and all forms of external aggression in the region.
