Amotekun not for ethnic persecution – Akeredolu

* As Falae insists Yoruba will not secede

Ondo state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has reiterated that the formation of the Ondo State Security Network Agency also known as ‘Amotekun’ will not be used for ethnic persecution.

The governor stated this on Monday while declaring open the public hearing on the bill for the formation of Amotekun, held at the Babafunke Ajasin Auditorium, Igbatoro road in Akure.

According to the governor, the security of residents of the state is paramount to him, hence the involvement of the locals in the setting up of the Ondo State Security Network who will serve as the Amotekun Corps.

“Amotekun is just only to assist the police and civil defence in the battle against insecurity in order to share intelligence particularly in terrains the conventional security agencies are not familiar with.

“Either we like it or not, there is no going back on Amotekun. All we are here for is just to have your input as regards the security outfit,” he said.

While emphasizing that all necessary factors as regards the outfit had been taken into consideration, the governor said that irrespective of the obstacles, Amotekun will be fully achieved.

“We have scrutinized it at the State Executive Council and it was forwarded to the state House of Assembly which has scaled through the first and second reading. The next stage is the public hearing in order to have everyone’s input so as to have an efficient Ondo State Security Network Agency.

“There are those that are in support of Amotekun and some are not in support. But those in support will triumph. The Amotekun issue is not the initiative of just one state but it involved all the six states of the South West which included collaborations of the Attorneys General and Speakers.

“It was the DAWN commission that actually worked on Amotekun before we the governors decided to execute it,” he added.

In his remark, the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Bamidele Oleyelogun, assured that all inputs made at the public hearing will be taken into consideration when harmonizing the state’s position with the other five South-Western states.

Meanwhile, Chief Olu Falae who represented Afenifere at the public hearing said those skeptical about Amotekun should bury such thought as the move was not a plan by the Yorubas to secede from Nigeria.

“Yorubas cannot secede from Nigeria. We have sowed a lot to contemplate secession. What we are emphasizing is the insecurity issue in the country.

“Amotekun’s arrival represents the freedom of Yorubas from oppression within the Nigerian nation. Section 5 of the bill should include that Amotekun Corps should have the power to prosecute,” he said.