The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, has assured Fulani communities in Oyo State of safety just as he berated the activities of the Amotekun Corps saying ‘they are doing the job God doesn’t like.’
The Alaafin stated this while receiving the leadership of the Fulani herdsmen in his palace on Sunday.
Daily Trust reports that there has been controversy about Amotekun following allegations of abuse of human rights by some members of the corps in Oyo state.
The issues surrounding Amotekun’s modus operandi appear more disturbing in Oyo State, where the operatives are said to be wielding dangerous weapons, including guns, during their operations.
‘Difference among the Fulani’
Reacting to the disturbing trend and the attack on a Fulani settlement in Ibarapa Central local government area of the state, Alaafin said “A lot of people in Yorubaland do not know that Fulani are different from one another: there are those into trading, and also those settlers that are into cattle rearing and also those that roam about from Niger, Burkina Faso; this set also troublea those Fulanis in our midst, they are a problem to all of us including the Fulanis.
“The word Fulani is like saying Yoruba, if an Ekiti man does something wrong, they will say Yoruba, if Lagos man does something, they will say Yoruba,” Alaafin said.
The royal father also criticised the mode of operations of Amotekun Corps saying “there is no way they can operate without the cooperation of other security agencies.
“Amotekun cannot work successfully without the DSS, Police, VGN and including that of Miyyeti Allah”.
‘Amotekun killing police’
The King also alleged that the Amotekun Corps have been killing police asking further, “when did you hear that VGN of Fulani kill police?
“The Fulanis amidst us can identify whomever is coming to do evil because we have them among us that can differentiate the Fulanis from Kano and other parts of the country.”
He added, “Let your mind be at peace. I will talk to the governor on your behalf, because he wants to know the truth.
“Amotekun that are going about with gun are doing the job not given to them, Amotekun are doing the job God doesn’t like.
“Because they are in uniform does not mean they can terrorise the community by collecting money from citizens, but I’ve not heard that the Fulani VGN or Miyyeti Allah living among us ever collected money from anybody.
“All of us are now family and I must not join them to do evil, they all know I have confidence to speak the truth.”
The delegation included leaders of Fulani herdsmen from Oyo State under the leadership of Sarkin Fulani of Oke-Ogun, Alhaji Yakubu Bello, and the state chairman of Miyyeti Allah, Alhaji Abubakar Jiji, among others.
The coming of Amotekun
Amotekun was inaugurated on January 9, 2020, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, by the Western Nigeria Governors’ Forum led by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State.
It was a response to what the governors called escalating insecurity in the region with many stakeholders calling on them to find a lasting solution to the impasse.
After the inauguration of the security outfit, there was uncertainty in the region as Amotekun could not take off immediately casting doubt on the commitment of the governors to drive the initiative.
It took six months before the Amotekun corps took off in states like Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti and Osun but it has remained unclear when the initiative would commence in Lagos.
“Amotekun can bear firearms”
The Majority Leader of Osun State House of Assembly, Tunde Olatunji, said the Amotekun operatives can carry certain categories of firearms.
“Even individuals can get license and own firearms. Some of the operatives already have licence for their arms even before the establishment of Amotekun.
“In Osun, Amotekun operatives can carry firearms as the law that established the corps permits it. However, we have a lot of mechanisms to check them and avoid misuse. More so, the Nigeria constitution stipulates punishment for misuse of firearms,” he said.
The Amotekun Corps Commander in Ekiti State, Brig. Gen. Joe Komolafe (rtd), said the corps is working hard to curb crimes in the state.
In Ondo, the Commander of Amotekun corps, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said though the corps is working with other security agencies, the Amotekun Law 2020 in Ondo State allows the operatives to carry arms.
