Amotekun ‘ll curb border porosity- Experts

From Saheed Ibrahim
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As the influx of migrants continue to desecrate Ondo state borders, security experts have made case for state police and Amotekun security outfit as panacea to porosity at the borders.

Some days ago, about 20 Almajiris were intercepted in Akure on their way to Ondo town and were sent back to Sokoto state while another set of Almajiris were intercepted in the city last Saturday.

Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu had severally raised concerns regarding the porosity of the borders as migrants from other states continue to migrate to the Sunshine state in large number, including coronavirus infected people.

In order to curtail influx of migrants into the sunshine state, security experts, who spoke with The Hope in separate interviews, noted that police officers, assigned to man the borders have failed in the task bestowed on them, describing them as “old wine in new bottle”.

The experts thereby called for discipline among the police, use of Amotekun security operatives as well as establishment of state and community police.

A retired Chief Superintendent of the State Security Service, who spoke with The Hope on the condition of anonymity, said that the current security agents in the country have compromised.

He therefore made case for the use of Amotekun security officers at the borders, saying there is no police officer posted to the border that will not be corrupted.

He advocated that if the Amotekun officials are posted to the borders, border policing will be effective.

Also speaking with The Hope, the Chief Executive Officer of ONASEC Security Limited, Mr Gbenga Omoseebi also berated the security agents posted to man the state borders for their inefficiency and indiscipline.

According to the former official at the United States Department of Defence, the only way to effectively man the borders is to put security agents there, stating that that is what is obtained anywhere in the world.

We cannot put soldiers to man the borders with guns to shoot at sight. We are in a civilian government. The only thing to do is what the state is doing,” he said.

He however called for proper discipline among police officers, stating that there should be proper check and balances to curb their excesses.

He also called for the division of the Nigerian police into local, state and federal police units, saying those at the state and local government levels should be in charge of state affairs.