Stakeholders have warned the proposed members of the Ogun State Security Network Agency codenamed Amotekun to avoid unnecessary friction and overlapping of functions with other security agencies when they start operating.
The stakeholders gave the warning when the state’s House of Assembly held a public hearing on the proposed Ogun State Security Network Agency Law, 2020 in Abeokuta, the state’s capital.
The stakeholders also 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 included representatives of Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Community Development Associations (CDAs), Ogu 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.
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, just as he assured that the Assembly would harness all the inputs of the stakeholders into the bill and ensure its accelerated passage.
In his submission, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Gbolahan Adeniran, lauded the stakeholders for their robust contributions during the public hearing, while saying that community participation was essential in achieving effective community policing system.
Packaged by Hazeez Ayansola
