Oyo State governor, Mr Seyi Makinde, on Wednesday, declared the state security network agency (Amotekun corps) operational with a mandate to provide local response against invaders into the state.
Makinde handed down this mandate at the passing-out ceremony of no fewer than 1,500 Amotekun corps members at Emmanuel Alayande College of Education (EACOED), Oyo town.
Speaking, he noted that the Amotekun corps will serve as community police to tackle threats to peaceful coexistence in the state.
As stipulated in the Oyo State Security Network Agency Law, 2020 for the establishment of Amotekun corps, the Amotekun officers are allowed to bear licensed arms in performing their duties that include, to collaborate with security agencies in gathering information about crime, the arrest and prosecution of persons suspected or involved in kidnapping, rape, terrorism, cattle rustling, cultism, highway robbery, destruction of livelihood, criminal damage to property and any other criminal activity.
Amotekun corps also have the power to undertake day and night patrol on land and water, disarm unauthorised persons in possession of arms and other dangerous weapons, render prompt assistance to crime and accident victims, give a report of suspicious activities and undertake joint operations with the police and other security agencies.
Makinde said: “We are coming together to fight a common enemy. That enemy is not Nigeria; the enemies are the elements among us and their affiliates who are determined to cause commotion within our states’ borders and threaten our peaceful coexistence.
“And never again will invaders come into Oyo State without a local response from us. Amotekun is our local response.
“Members of the corps will be drafted to all the 351 wards in Oyo State. They will be our own community police so that their presence will be felt everywhere.
“This ensures that offenders are quickly identified, arrested, registered, and promptly handed over to the nearest police station or post.
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“As I said during one of my speeches following the EndSARS protests, this is one outfit that I can boldly say hold me responsible for the actions of the members.”
In performing their duties, Makinde, however, warned the pioneer Amotekun corps against harassment or intimidation of people but they should exhibit the highest level of professionalism.
The event also saw Makinde state that the state had placed a request to the Inspector General of Police for a Police Mobile Squadron to be sited in Oyo town.
This assurance comes after the controversy had trailed the siting of 72 Police Mobile Force squadron in Ago-Are, Oke-Ogun area of the state, with notions that Oyo town had been shortchanged.
Speaking on Wednesday, Makinde said, “So far, we have supported our federal security outfits, who do their best to protect our people. We provided them with communication gadgets and patrol vehicles.
“More recently, we requested for and established just this past May 2020, the Police Mobile Force 72 Squadron at Ago-Are and presented them with patrol vehicles for the outfit’s operations.
“And we have also requested from the Inspector General of Police another mobile police squadron that will be based in Oyo town.”
Speaking further, Makinde reiterated his yearn for state policing as a way to guarantee security across the country.
In his remarks, Chairman, Amotekun corps, General Kunle Togun (rtd) avowed that the Oyo Amotekun corps will, in performance of their duties, be a pacesetter and symbol for other states to follow.
Other personalities at the event were Commandant, Oyo Amotekun corps, Colonel Olayinka Olayanju (rtd); Speaker, Oyo House of Assembly, Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin; Provost, EACOED, Dr Rasak Adefabi; Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Alao; former Senator Monsurat Sunmonu; members of the Oyo state executive council.
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