Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Chairman, South West Governors Forum and governor of Ondo State, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu has assured that the South West Security Network otherwise known as Operation Amotekun will not be used for any ethnic purpose but only for the purpose of securing the people of the region.
He said the local vigilantes and hunters would be used for the security outfit.
Governor Akeredolu stated this while declaring open the public hearing on the bill for the formation of Amotekun, held at the Babafunke Ajasin Auditorium, Akure, the state capital.
He said: “Amotekun is just only to assist the security agencies in the fight against insecurity in order to share intelligence particularly in terrains the conventional security agencies are not familiar with.
“Either we like it or not there is no going back on Amotekun. All we are here for is just to have your input as regards the security outfit,” he added.
“We have scrutinised it at the state executive council and it was forwarded to the House of Assembly which has scaled through the first and second reading. The next stage is the public hearing in order to have everyone’s input so as to have an efficient Ondo State Security Network Agency.
“There are those that are in support of Amotekun and some not in support. But those in support will triumph. The Amotekun issue is not the initiative of just one state but it involved all the six states of the South West which included collaborations of the attorneys general and speakers.
Speaking, the speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Bamidele Oleyelogun, assured that all inputs made at the public hearing will be taken into consideration when harmonising the Ondo State position with the other five southwest states.
Chief Olu Falae who represented Afenifere at the public hearing said those skeptical about Amotekun should bury such thought as the move was not part of plans for the Yorubas to secede from Nigeria.
“Yorubas cannot secede from Nigeria. We have sowed a lot to contemplate secession. What we are emphasising is the insecurity issue in the country. Amotekun represents the freedom of Yorubas from oppression within the Nigerian nation. Section five of the bill should include that Amotekun corps should have the power to prosecute,” he added.
