…extends application deadline
Ekiti State Government has revealed that its security network, Amotekun will deploy ancient, local, and modern security techniques to ward off kidnapping, robbery and other heinous crimes from the state.
Ekiti State Corps Commandant of Amotekun, Brigadier-General Joe Komolafe (Rtd.) disclosed this on Thursday at Efon Alaaye during a sensitization tour to Ekiti West, Efon Alaaye and Ijero Local government areas of the State.
Brig-Gen Komolafe (Rtd) explained that the security outfit would employ ancient Yoruba tactics of securing territories and fishing out criminals from their hideout.
Gen. Komolafe cited the neglect of traditional culture and patterns of exposing criminals as one of the reasons for the rising spate of crimes in the region. He charged traditional rulers to deploy their supernatural prowess to secure the lives and properties of their people.
Describing Amotekun as a force of liberation, Gen Komolafe assured that the security outfit would protect the people of the Southwest from invaders who had constantly constitute a threat to the safety of the region.
Speaking on the composition of the security outfit, Komolafe said the first phase of the recruitment was to establish an intelligence-based outfit and later accommodate the Amotekun ambassadors who would serve as informants of the agency. According to him, there will be no age limit to those that would make up the ambassadorial category.
Identifying Amotekun as indigenous outfit, Komolafe said; “we want people that can enter the bush and give us native intelligence about criminal hideouts.
“People before us rose and fought invaders, we also want to rise and fight invaders. These invaders came with all forms of impunity, they kill, maim, rape, and destroy people’s farm produce.”
Earlier, Chairman Ekiti State, Amotekun Board, Mr. Akin Aregbesola explained that the sensitization tour was to sensitize the traditional rulers on the critical roles they had to play in recommending applicants into the outfit.
Mr. Aregbesola disclosed that the application into the security outfit was open to all within the ages of 18 and 60 irrespective of their religion as long as they are Indigene and residents of their local governments.
The Board Chairman who stressed that Amotekun is not an empowerment programme but a call to service, implored traditionalist, local hunters, vigilante, and others who are vast in native security operations to apply into the outfit.
He further disclosed that the application exercise which was billed to close on Wednesday 22nd has been extended to Saturday, 25th of July, to allow applicants to go through the application process.
Responding to Efon Local Government, the Alaaye of Efon Kingdom, Oba Emmanuel Aladejare said the traditional rulers in the axis were in total support of the recruitment process and would continue to provide native support that would guarantee the successful establishment of the security outfit.
The Monarch urged the board to set in motion machinery that would facilitate inter border cooperation with the sister security outfit in other states of the region, to give room for smooth operation when the outfit fully commence implementation of strategies against crime in the Southwest states.
Also, the Olojudo of Ido Ile Ekiti, Oba Adeyemi Obaleye, assured the board of traditional rulers’ commitment to supporting the State security outfit in combating crime in the State.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Ijero Local government, Mr. Ropo Ige who volunteered to serve in the Corps expressed the readiness of local government Chairmen in the State to support the efforts of the outfit in securing the lives and properties of the people.
Mr. Ige urged traditional rulers in his local government to recommend the security outfit people of proven character who would not betray their trust.
He urged them to support Amotekun’s security outfit in defending the territorial integrity of their domains. According to him; “the traditional institution should rise up and support the Amotekun agency to guarantee the security of lives and properties in their domains.
“I want to assure you and on behalf of other local government Chairmen, that we are going to support Amotekun to achieve success in the task of securing the lives and properties of the people of the state.
Last modified: July 22, 2020
