By: Promise Adagba
Men and officers of the Western Nigeria Security Network Agency, codenamed ‘Amotekun Corps’ especially in Ondo State have been well-trained since its formation three years ago to proper handle sophisticated arms to tackle criminality in the state.
To this effect, the Commander of Amotekun Corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye who doubles as the Special Adviser to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Security matters, has appealed to relevant authorities under the Federal Government to grant permission/license to Amotekun Corps to carry sophisticated weapons in the state.
Adeleye made the appeal today in Akure, the Ondo state capital, during an interactive session with the Online Media professionals in the state.
When asked how will he persuade the federal government to allow Amotekun corps officers to carry sophisticated weapons, the Special Adviser said, “the Ondo State Security Agency, Amotekun Corps was set up to help the mother security organisations, no doubt, there is inadequacy of equipment, that is one of the major things that hamper our operations.
“We have a very good synergy with all the security agencies in Ondo State, like the Army, Police, Civil Defence, DSS, (Amotekun) as an agency that came to being as a necessity, our major role is to assist the mother security agencies, I want to say that we have been able to achieve much.
“We want to appeal to relevant authorities (under Federal Government) to give us opportunity, having been tested, over three years now, our men have been adequately trained.
“We can assure the general pupulace that, sophisticated equipments like the ones the enemies carry would definitely enhance our operations.
“We would appeal to the federal agencies to input us into the legislation, we should be allowed to carry sophisticated weapons, it is our sincere belief that going forward it would increase the level of cooperate security in the south west,” Adeleye said.
Speaking on the achievements of the corps,the Commander said, “when we came on board about three years ago, it is virtually impossible for people to go to farms, without being kidnaped or molested, across the state, to transact business in banks became dangerous, one is no longer safe then.
“We started with mass public enlightenment, to farmers and hearders, we also Carry our campaign to security Agencies in the state, calling for their support, and also to remove any form of misconception of somebody coming to take their job, what we do is to compliment their efforts.
“We did enforcement, and received like 5,000 petitions against headers, we are able to carry the leadership of Meyetti Allah (herders group) in the state and in the Southwest along, we explained to them how the right to do their business as a Nigerian and how farmers also have the right to farm their lands, and they should be able to relate peacefully.
“After we had commenced the assessment, we made them to compensate the farmers whose crops are destroyed, we are able to put things in place, for now, more than 95% issues of headers destroying farms crops had been resolved, not that we don’t see clashes once in a while but it unlike before,” the Commander said.
