We Will Resist Any Attempt To Hijack Amotekun By Politicians- Ogun Commissioner
By ABIODUN JIMOH, ABEOKUTA
As clamour for Ogun State House of Assembly to pass the much expected Amotekun Bill into law is making waves across the state, the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General in Ogun State, Barr. Gbolahan Adeniran, has warned that any attempt by politicians to hijack the security outfit for their political advantage will be strongly resisted.
The Commissioner stated this at the Ogun State House of Assembly during a public hearing on the proposed Ogun state Security Network Agency Law, 2020 held on Monday.
He said: ‘I want people to understand that you cannot hijack Amotekun for any political use, it is important that you have that because when you hear about argument against the state policing, this is the first point people usually make that politicians will hijack it, but let us make sure they are not going to do so.
“I have put an independent complaint board deliberately, it is in the independence of Amotekun.
”If you complain about Amotekun members over reaching, there is an independent body that can hold them to account, there is also going to be strict discipline that will be enforced within the corp and that’s why the recruitment of the corp commander is crucial.
”We will take on board all the suggestion about the level, We will look at it, it is true that sometimes you want a senior level person but sometimes you also don’t want to shoot yourself in the foot by putting in place a requirement that no one can meet so we will look at it and talk about it intelligently. “
He lauded the stakeholders for their robust contributions during the public hearing, while saying that community participation was essential in achieving effective community policing system.
Meanwhile, the stakeholders canvassed for inclusion of security measures against slavery, human trafficking, kidnapping, banditry, invasion of farmland and the need to ensure human rights protection and intelligence gathering as parts of the responsibilities of the corps upon its take off.
This was the aggregation of views of stakeholders including the representatives of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ogun State Chapter, Barr. Kayode Adeyemi, the State Muslim Council, Alhaji Kamaldeen Akintunde, Association of Nigerian Authors, Paul Oni; Chairman, State Coalition of Civil Societies, Yinka Folarin; Yoruba World Congress, Otunba Sade Olukoya; Association of Hunters in Ogun, Chief Olusegun Bamgbose, and the Institute of Emergency Management, Mr Badero Adedamola who took turns to lend their voice in support of the bill at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta .
Others including representatives of Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Community Development Associations (CDAs), Ogun Speaking People in the State, Justice Development and Peace Movement , Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC),National Youth Council of Nigeria, Peace Corps and Vigilante Group of Nigeria amongst others.
They all commended the initiative of the Governors in the South West at establishing the corps in response to challenges of insecurity in the nation, positing that when operational, the Amotekun corps should strengthen ties with other agencies with a view to strengthening security in the region.
They also pointed out the need to avoid unnecessary friction and overlapping function, stressing that the corps should be devoid of political interference with proper funding to enable them function effectively.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Speaker, Rt Hon Olakunle Oluomo, assured that the bill when passed by the Assembly and eventually signed into law by the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, would be translated into indigenous language for easy understanding by all and sundry.
Oluomo noted that the bill was meant to protect the overall wellbeing of residents and investors in the State, emphasising that intelligence gathering remained the fulcrum of any effective security management, assuring that the Assembly would harness all the inputs of the stakeholders into the bill and ensure its accelerated passage.
