Lagos, Ogun Unrest: Questions About Amotekun’s Response Finally Answered As DAWN Speaks

 

Against the backcloth of the increasing criminality in parts of Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states experiencing COVID-19 lockdown, the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, DAWN, Commission has given reasons why the Western Nigeria Security Network, otherwise called Operation Amotekun, has not taken off in the six Southwest states.

In the past couple of days, residents of some communities in Ogun and Lagos have lost sleep over robberies in the neighbourhoods by a gang of roaming hoodlums seizing the coronavirus lockdown to unleash terror on the two states.

There have been overwhelming complaints by residents of Owode, Ilepa, Ifo, Arigbajo, Itori, Dalemo, Ijoko, Ogba Ayo, Mosa, Joju, Sango, Ota, Oniyale among other communities in Ifo and Ado-Odo Ota local government areas of Ogun State over how hoodlums have been dispossessing them of their valuables day and night.

Unrest was also reported in FESTAC Town, Jankara and Ifako-Ijaiye areas of Lagos State on Saturday afternoon as hoodlums besieged the populated areas to rob residents and loot shops.

These criminality is believed to have been a fallout of the 14-day lockdown order of President Muhammadu Buhari to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the two states. The stay-at-home order has denied a lot of touts their regular means of collecting money from road users.

Amotekun was originally formed in response to the violent activities of killer herdsmen in the South-West. With the increasing crime rate in parts of the South-West, many residents are wondering how effective the security network would be in tackling crimes in the region.

DAWN Commission has now explained that the outfit was yet to be functional as the six states were in the process of recruiting personnel into the corps when coronavirus pandemic started in March.

In a statement by its Director-General, Mr Seye Oyeleye, in Ibadan on Tuesday, the commission explained the states were yet to conclude their recruitment before COVID-19 broke out, which automatically prevented the commission from conducting training for the personnel as scheduled.

In the statement entitled: COVID-19 pandemic: Amotekun and the Call for Deployment in the Wake of Insecurity in the Region, DAWN Commission added that the Chairman of Governors in the region Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, had announced that the corps would take off in April according to recruitment and training schedule. It stressed that the restrictions on gathering and other activities grounded the entire process.

Responding to many commentators in mainstream and social media, who have been calling for the deployment of Amotekun operatives to stem current attacks on residents in some parts of Ogun, Lagos and Oyo States during the restriction period, DAWN said neither the commission nor the governors would risk deployment of untrained personnel for security operations in our communities as it will be counter-productive.

The statement reads: “Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu who is also the Chairman of the Western Nigeria Governors Forum (WNGF) said in one of his recent interactions with journalists that the security outfit and the deployment of the Amotekun vehicles would take off in April 2020 across the region.

“This explains why DAWN Commission had to convene series of meeting with the SAs on security, commissioners for regional integration as well as other stakeholders, just to make sure that no critical area is left behind before the take-off in April as proposed by the governors.

“Unfortunately, the whole process has been stagnated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has made the gathering of the personnel for training difficult and unadvisable.

“The emergency situation posed by this deadly virus has also brought about some security challenges in some states in the region as a result of some measures being taken by the governors to prevent its spread.

“For instance, in the wake of recent activities of hoodlums and street urchins, some concerned Nigerians have asked why Amotekun has not been deployed to intervene.

“It is imperative to note that the six governors in the region prioritize the issue of security as it affects the lives and property of the citizens.

“But they are also aware of the need to avoid negative feedback from the people, the enrolment into Amotekun has to be thorough since the governors would be held accountable if the outfit goes outside its mandate.

“As a result of this, one would not expect the personnel to put on uniform or the Amotekun vehicles deployed without proper training and mapping out of areas to be secured.

“At this juncture, it is important to state that some vigilante and self- determination groups are working with the police and other security agencies operating within the region, to flush out these criminals.

“We also want to assure all that as soon as COVID-19 pandemic is over, DAWN Commission shall work with the states in continuing the process of recruiting, which has not been completed in the states, and to ensure that the uniform training as directed by the governors is conducted before the deployment of personnel and vehicles.

“DAWN Commission wishes to assure the general public that Western Nigeria Security Network (codenamed Amotekun) has come to stay.

‘’It is unfortunate that the COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted the operational take-off, but as soon as the coast is clear for resumption of activities and a return to our daily lives, the training of Amotekun personnel will commence in earnest and we shall soon be enjoying the services of the outfit across the region."