Mixed Reactions, Anxiety as Operation Amotekun Kicks Off in Southwest
POLITICS DIGEST – Governors and other dignitaries from all the six southwest states have started converging on Ibadan, the Oyo state capital for the launch of the South-West security outfit named, “Amotekun.”
The launch, taking place at the Oyo state government house in Ibadan, is the first of its kind in Nigeria bringing together the six Southwestern states of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo for a regional security outfit.
The event slated for 10:00am is yet to commence as of the time of filing this report as the focal persons for the project, the governors of the states under the aegis of Western Nigeria Governors’ Forum, are yet to arrive.
The region has over time been at the forefront of advocating for state police in the country.
Yoruba leader,Prof. Banji Akintoye, some traditional rulers in the South-west have been on seat since 10 a.m.
It is not clear if all the governors of the six states would be physically present amidst anxiety over the disposition of the Federal Government to the security outfit.
The Presidency was said to have summoned the governors last night in respect of the Amotekun launch.
It was however not clear the outcome of the meeting where the Ondo Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu was said to have represented the governors.
Read Also:
All the six governors except the host Oyo Governor are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Oyo Governor, Seyi Makinde is of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In preparation for the launch, hundreds of patrol vehicles with inscription,
“WNSN” (Western Nigeria Security Network) are parked at the Government House. Also hundreds of uniformed personnel of the security outfit are on ground alongside members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN).
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu was said to have given his blessings on Wednesday when Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, met him at the Force Headquarters.
Adamu had previously met the six governors in the zone over the operations of the proposed security outfit, which is scheduled to be launched today, January 9 at the Oyo State Government House.
Anonymous source said that the police boss granted that Amotekun be launched as it was a fallout of the southwest security summit organised by the police last year.
Speaking on “Amotekun”, Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Frank Mba said, “The Nigeria Police Force, under the leadership of the IGP Mohammed Adamu, is not opposed to any legitimate and community-based efforts aimed at tackling crime and criminality in any part of Nigeria.
“The IGP would insist that those efforts must be legitimate and be in line with our national security policy and compatible to the national security architecture.”
