Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland Iba Gani Ige Adams on Wednesday throws his weight behind the South West governors for birthing the regional security outfit which goes into operation in the region today.
SUNRISE NEWS recalls that the idea was mooted during the security summit organised by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), in July 2019, at the height of kidnapping and killings in the Southwest.
The official launching of the outfit, which according to the governors will be composed of local hunters and men of the OPC, will take place today at the Governor’s Office Agodi, Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
Adams, who is the National Leader of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), said the outfit is long overdue. As it would help to put an end to the armed banditry, criminality and wanton killings and kidnappings that has gone on unchallenged in the region.
He said: “Don’t forget I was one of those that pushed them (governments in the region) to do this security summit before they now decided to initiate Amotekun.
”I can tell you authoritatively that Yoruba people are happy with this initiative. Whoever criticizes Amotekun is either a sadist or a person without values. Anybody that is against this initiative is an enemy of the Southwest; and if anything untoward should happen in this region, such a person should be held responsible.”
Adams likened Operation Amotekun to a child of circumstance, saying it represents a traditional way the Yoruba secure their domain.
He added: “Amotekun is not the real state police we are asking for, but I just see it as a temporary measure to tackle crimes in the Southwest.
”Ordinarily, we agitate for state police but if we don’t have state police now, something has to be done because state police can bring constitutional issues which may warrant an amendment to the Constitution. But a security outfit that will be controlled by the state governments is highly needed now.”
Adams also claimed to be in possession of some intelligence that certain forces from Chad, Libya, Mali and Niger had infiltrated the Southwest.
He lamented that security threats in the region had gone beyond kidnapping and herdsmen crises.
He said: “But Operation Amotekun will solve so many issues even beyond the herdsmen crises. We also have information that some Yoruba have connived with these criminal elements and are giving them information as to who they should kidnap to get money.
”What the governors are doing now concerning Amotekun is in the interest of Yoruba land. We have to support them. Once this is launched, you will see that within one month, criminals will retreat because the Southwest will no longer be a safe haven for them.”
DAWN Commission’s Director General Commission, Mr Seye Oyeleye, was in high spirit on Wednesday. He said: “We are definitely going ahead with the ceremony tomorrow (today).”
The National Youth Council of Nigerian (NYCN) believes that Operation Amotekun will help flush out criminals from the region.
The NYCN which is the umbrella body of youths commended the Southwest governors for the initiative.
“We must commend the governors of the six states of the Southwest for coming up with this initiative. We believe that Operation Amotekun will address kidnapping, armed robberies and help flush out criminal elements that had held the region hostage,” its Vice President, Southwest, Olamide Odumosu, said in a statement.
The National Youth Council of Nigerian (NYCN) believes that Operation Amotekun will help flush out criminals from the region.
The NYCN which is the umbrella body of youths commended the Southwest governors for the initiative.
“We must commend the governors of the six states of the Southwest for coming up with this initiative. We believe that Operation Amotekun will address kidnapping, armed robberies and help flush out criminal elements that had held the region hostage,” its Vice President, Southwest, Olamide Odumosu, said in a statement.