The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) has reiterated their support for the regional security outfit- Amotekun, while advising the South-West governors to invest more in Operation Amotekun established in their states to combat insecurity in the region more effectively.
The YCE Secretary-General, Dr Kunle Olajide, during an interview with PUNCH News correspondent, on Friday January 1, 2021, in Ibadan disclosed this.
Olajide’s advice is coming following the comment of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde that bandits from Mali were trying to cross into Nigeria through the Saki border.
The YCE scribe said it would be foolhardy to rely absolutely on the military to protect Nigeria borders based on what the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd), said recently that only God could protect the Nigeria border with Niger Republic.
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Olajide said with Buhari’s admittance, South-West governors needed to recruit more youths, train and equip them to protect the residents of their states from foreign terrorists.
Olajide said, “I don’t want to say that the Federal Government appears incapable of protecting our borders. But in the light of Mr President’s comment a few days ago that the protection of our border with Niger Republic in Katsina State is in the hands of God, I think out governors in the South-West should wake up to their responsibility now.
“They are the chief security officers of their states, and this is the time to prove they are capable. You may say they don’t control the military or the police, but they now control Operation Amotekun. So, they should stop funding the Federal Government police and the military and focus on Amotekun.
“A lot of funds should be invested in Amotekun Corps. Graduates who are interested in the job must be recruited into it and must be provided with vehicles, motorcycles, communication gadgets and everything they need to be efficient.
“For us in the South-West, our borders must be guarded. We must act fast so that this region will not become their abode. In fact, I believe some of these foreign bandits are already here. I believe they are in Osun State. One of those recently attacked told me that they bandits were also in Ekiti State, and the language they speak is similar to Hausa. They came in through the Saki border.”
Makinde had while visiting Saki on Monday said bandits from Mali were trying to cross into Oyo State through the Saki border.
The Àà re Ona Kakanfo, Iba Gani Adams, had earlier raised the alarm that foreign terrorists had occupied the Old Oyo National Park in Kishi.
Some weeks after, the Oodua People’s Congress, which is led by Adams went into the bush and dislodged the foreign bandits.
The CPC chairman of OPC in Oyo State, Mr Rotimi Olumo, said some of the dislodged bandits, who possessed four AK-47s, were arrested and handed over to the police.
Reviewed by Okenwa Chinedu
on
January 04, 2021
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