Security experts say ‘Amotekun’ will stall kidnappings, armed robbery attacks on highways

Two security experts, on Monday, said that the newly inaugurated Southwest security outfit, ‘Amotekun’, would help curb crimes such as armed robbery and kidnapping on the highways

The two retired commissioners of police told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview that the security outfit also would complement the police and other state security outfits in the southwest in their activities.

A retired and former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Ibe Agharaya, said that `Amotekun’ would make use of the concept of community policing in its operations.

He said that would include partnership, collaboration, transparency and consent with the communities in tracking and arresting criminals.

He said that he employed an outfit similar to `Amotekun’ while serving in Kogi.

He said that it involved the use of local indigenes to partner the mobile policemen to quell armed robberies between Okene-Lokoja Road then.

“Amotekun is a modernised system of collaboration and partnership between the regular security agencies and the community for security purpose within a given area.

“With the type of warlike campaign, elections, tribalism and religious bigotry, we need such a policing system to be adopted for securing lives and property.

“This system is particularly effective in the prevention of crimes, particularly on the highways, where armed robbery and kidnapping usually take place,” he said.

Agharaya urged the commissioners of police in the Southwest to key into the operations of `Amotekun’ by providing the system with modern weapons so that the outfit could be efficient.

ALSO READ: Salary: Governor Sule inaugurates implementation committee

“No policeman will enter the bush in the night to look for kidnappers because of lack of basic equipment such as night goggles, good body armour and substantial gas to smoke them out.

“However, the hunters and the indigenes of any given area will understand the terrain and can enter the bush with the assistance of the police.

“So, the introduction of the security system in the South-western states is a good strategy to prevent crime,” the retired commissioner said.

He said that the security outfit was not formed to stop herdsmen from bringing their cattle down to the Southwest for grazing.

Agharaya said that the Fulani members who reside within the Southwest could be incorporated into the security outfit.

He said that with such an arrangement in place, they could help in resolving crises that might involve farmers and herders.

Another retired and former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr Fatai Owoseni, said that `Amotekun’ would help achieve the vision of the governors of the Southwest for a more secured geo-political zone.

Owoseni also said that the security outfit would complement positively the conventional security outfit based on their knowledge and familiarity with their localities.

“The system is not new because there had been coalition and networking of security strategies similar to this.

“For instance, although not in security matters the North Eastern Development Commission helps in rebuilding the North East, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) helps to develop the Niger Delta.

“So, nothing stops the Southwest from having a development agenda that will incorporate security matters,” Owoseni said.

(NAN)