For Amotekun to be successful

After reading news about the security conglomerations in the south-west region called Operation Amotekun, I swiftly flashed back to one of my columns written after the death of Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, daughter of Pa. Fasoranti, a leader of Yoruba socialcultural and political group Afenifere. Since the death of this promising woman, South-West leaders have been in a very sad mood. Her death was one of the factors that gave birth to Operation Amotekun in the South-West.

Not only that, many of the victims of kidnapping recorded in the region were prominent personalities who escaped death after paying huge ransom.

The above stated calamity that had befallen the region in the past, therefore, called for a security summit attended by South-West governors and other Yoruba leaders. After much deliberations and brainstorming, Operation Amotekun was born to combat kidnapping, robbery, incessant killings that have been rampant in the region. With all these catastrophic events, I think, South-West governors owe no one an explanation for the reasons behind Operation Amotekun. Of course, the reasons are obvious. So, why would this fresh security policy serve as a threat to Miyetti Allah cattle breeders and northern youths? Should South-West leaders continue to sit comfortably and watch their region conquered by the scourge of social vices?

Is it not disgusting and nonsensical for Miyetti Allah cattle breeders to see Amotekun as big threat and attack it with criticisms instead of warning their fellow cattle breeders to desist from atrocities? Tell Miyetti Allah to awaken from its slumber. Operation Amotekun has come to stay.

Now, thinking beyond Amotekun and Miyetti Allah’s daydreaming, my greatest fear is how the project would function professionally without abuse of power. Power makes one to be mannerless like Marlians. We abuse almost everything here in Nigeria. For example, our trained security personnel in Nigeria always engage in extortion, oppression and extrajudicial killings. What would now be the measures to stop Operation Amotekun personnel from abusing their power?

At the same time, I’m worried about the collaborations of Nigeria Police Force with Operation Amotekun because everyone would always want to be on a safer side. Or is it not a channel to be on a safer side when police expect Amotekun to always be at crime zone before them and Amotekun assume that police should already be at the crisis arena before them. What’s my point here? The relationship should be symbiotic in nature without hindrance.

Here lies a great task ahead of the South-West leaders and it goes beyond ordinary ceremonial launch of the security outfit. There should be working relationship between operation Amotekun’s personnel and national security agents. The personnel to be recuited should not just be hunters who can only handle locally made guns. Psychological, physiological and integrity tests should be considered so that we can have a gallant, credible and solid Amotekun, not those ones that would only take laws into their own hands and abet criminality in the process. Miyetti Allah should take heart and allow Amotekun to have fresh breath.

Usman Issa,

Usmanissa247@gmail.com