Monarch’s Killing: How to make Amotekun corps effective —OPC

Ondo state coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress, (OPC) Comrade Ogunsanya Pius, today condemned the recent killing of a first class traditional ruler and Olufon of Ifon, Ondo state, late Oba Israel Adeusi by yet to be known herdsmen at Elegbeka, along Owo-Benin highway.

Ogunsanya, while lamenting the brutal killing of the late monarch, stressed that the Ipele/Ifon/Imoru axis of the expressway has came under the heavy attacks of the deadly herdsmen and bandits in recent time.

As a way to put final stop to such deadly attacks, kidnapping and killings along the highways across the Southwest region, the OPC coordinator urged the South West Governors to go back to the resolutions reached at both the Ibadan and Lagos security summits and implement the recommendations as originally approved by all the stakeholders, including the Aare onakankafo of Yoruba, Iba Gani Adams who headed the local militia groups such as Hunters’ Associations, Agbekoya and Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) to the summits over insecurity.

Ogunsanya noted that the current formation of Amotekun as launched by some state governors, could not effectively tackle the menace of herdsmen attacks, kidnapping, killings and other criminal activities ongoing inside the forests and hinterlands across the region.

“The Amotekun you see parading the streets in their branded vehicles are not fashioned along the original recommendations of the stakeholders at the security summits that brought to life the security outfit, I can authoritatively say it.

“Take the case of Ondo state as an example; just a few number of OPC, VGN and hunters’ members made the list at the formal recruitment and launch of the outfit few months ago.

“We didn’t know how they shared the slots among the politicians to made up the corps. This has really caused big lapses and deficiencies in the field operations of the Amotekun corps as we can now see,” he stated.

He however, applauded the role played by Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams by not dragging the issue of Amotekun with the governors, as he gave them free hands to operate the corps.

Ogunsanya said the Yoruba generalissimo, Aare Adams has shown enough commitment for the unity and progress of the race more than any other individual in recent times, especially in the crucial area of securing the Yoruba land against bandits and herders.

“So, if Amotekun must work effectively and achieve the desire objectives and goals of it founding fathers.”

Ogunsanya said such important personality (Aare Gani Adams) and the organisation he headed (OPC) must be made to play a leading role in the day to day operation of Amotekun but not as back benchers has been witnessed in recent time.