Insecurity: Operation ‘Amotekun’ to begin in S/West

…Akeredolu procures 20 Hilux Vans, 120 motorcycles

By Adekola Afolabi
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The governor of Ondo State and Chairman South West Governors’ Forum, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, yesterday disclosed that  a security arrangement code named ‘Amotekun’ would soon take off in the South West states.

This is one of the efforts being made to tackle security challenges in the region.

The State government said it has keyed into the project by procuring no fewer than 20 Hilux Vans and 120 motorcycles all in a bid to curb crimes in the state.

The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Donald Ojogo, who spoke on behalf of the Governor, revealed that the development was the first step at confronting insecurity and banditry in the region.

According to him, South West governors were worried about the current security challenges facing the region and as such were jointly taking measures which would reduce the rate of insecurity.

He noted that the security architecture being put in place by the South West governors would be all-encompassing and a continuous process to effectively curb kidnapping, armed robbery and banditry in the region and protect the lives and property of the citizenry.

Ojogo stressed that in Ondo state, all the forests which criminals are using as hideouts would be combed and criminals flushed out completely.

“In a matter of weeks, this security outfit will be unveiled and the spate of insecurity being witnessed in the last three or four months would have been reduced to the barest minimum, if not totally eradicated.

“It is going to be an all-encompassing security arrangement code named Amotekun. That is the name of the security architecture that will be put in place. A lot of other veritable and components will follow.

“Mr Governor, who is also the Chairman, South West Governor’s Forum, has taken some other far reaching measures. He is not resting on his oars. The people can be rest assured that in a matter of days, the forests of Ondo will be put under proper security surveillance through useful intelligence gathering,” the Commissioner added.

Ojogo further revealed that Akeredolu had initiated a Security Trust Fund, as one of the principal outcomes of the Security Summit held in Ondo State late last year.

Ojogo, who explained further that the Lagos State example of the exercise was already yielding results, expressed the belief that it would empower various security agencies and stakeholders at tackling insecurity when it begins operations.

He added that the development would also put in place drastic measures to checkmate violence and insecurity from escalating.

“I want to inform you that as at today, in an effort to tackle the spate of insecurity particularly as it relates to our state, not less than 120 motorcycles and 20 hilux vans have also been procured and have arrived the state for security surveillance.

“All these are in a bid to curb insecurity that has posed threat to Ondo State and the South-West in general. I must also say that just as the efforts are being taken by the Governor at the level of Ondo State, his colleagues in the South West including Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, Oyo and Lagos, are also acting in such manner,” he stressed.

According to him, “it is difficult to eradicate insecurity in the society, but as much as possible, government is trying to do the needful to ensure the menace is stemmed.

“Government also commiserated with the management and staff of OSUSTECH over the death of Prof. Gideon Okedayo who was abducted and killed in Edo State by his abductors.