The Chairman of the South-West Governors Forum, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, on Monday, reiterated his commitment to arming the South West Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun, with sophisticated weapons for effective operation in securing the lives and properties of the people of the region.
Speaking at the passing-out parade of Courses 3 and 4 of the state Amotekun Corps in Akure, Akeredolu insisted, “The Amotekun Corps must be given the tools to carry out its now pivotal, indispensable duties. For centuries, we have been admonished that a bad workman blames his tools. In the case of Amotekun Corps, the workman is expected to function without good tools. It is not only absurd but also a dereliction of duty and a cause of disaffection.
“Dissatisfaction is induced by a feeling of unfairness. The crisis in conventional wisdom is life-threatening and nationwide. Therefore, it is unacceptable if the state sanctions differing rules of engagement for different sub-national governments.
“Without providing the sub-national security forces to be a counter-balancing force, we have a crisis which strikes at the heart of the conception and the definition of the state itself. It is not just the definition of the state; the state itself is under existential threat.”
No amount of training will mask the debilitation of fighting with one arm tied against implacable foes.
“Amotekun must therefore be armed and will be armed and be backed by law. Otherwise, the training will be inadequate and we will be placing the lives of these great patriots in danger,” he noted.
