Ola Akinwunmi
A prominent socio-political organization, the Ondo Citizens for Good Governance (OCGG), has issued a passionate call to the Federal Government and the National Assembly, urging them to elevate the South Western Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun, into a fully-fledged state police force.
The group argues that such a move is crucial for significantly enhancing the security of lives and properties across the region.
Amotekun, established in January 2020 to address the escalating insecurity in the South-West, has proven to be a vital defense line against banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes. However, the OCGG believes that an upgrade is essential for greater efficiency and effectiveness.
In a statement released on Friday by the group’s Coordinator, Mr. Olawumi Adegbola, the OCGG emphasized that empowering and professionalizing Amotekun into a state police structure would drastically strengthen the fight against crime.
The group also vehemently opposed the proposed creation of new forest guards, deeming it unnecessary and a potential duplication of roles given the existing state security outfits.
“State police is the most practical and urgent solution to the growing menace of banditry and kidnappings in Nigeria,” the statement read. The OCGG highlighted the limitations of the current centralized security arrangement, which it says has repeatedly failed to provide timely and effective responses, especially in remote and forested areas exploited by criminals as safe havens.
According to the group, local policing units, such as an upgraded Amotekun Corps, possess superior knowledge of local geography, culture, and movement patterns, giving them a decisive edge in intelligence gathering and rapid deployment against criminal elements.
Addressing concerns about potential abuse of power by political leaders, the OCGG asserted that such risks could be mitigated through robust legislative frameworks, effective oversight mechanisms, and strong community accountability.
The statement further lauded Amotekun’s effectiveness since its inception, citing its familiarity with the local environment, cultural alignment with the people, and deep understanding of the region’s geographical and historical intricacies as unique strengths in combating crime that external forces cannot replicate.
The OCGG also questioned the rationale behind establishing new forest guards, arguing that such an initiative would introduce a parallel security outfit comprising individuals unfamiliar with the local nuances, potentially complicating existing efforts and being controlled by distant federal appointees lacking native intelligence.
“If Amotekun has been effectively securing our forests, why introduce another layer of bureaucracy that may complicate rather than complement existing efforts?” the statement queried, suggesting that newly created forest guards might eventually be controlled by individuals whose interests do not align with the security needs of the local population.
The group concluded by urging the federal government to prioritize decentralized policing structures as a lasting solution to Nigeria’s pervasive security challenges.
