By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Worried by the abduction of four farmers at the Government Farm Settlement in Iseyin last Saturday,
Pan Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere on Tuesday,
said that the Federal Government should allow Amotekun to be carrying requisite weapons.
The Pan Yoruba socio political organization in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi while condemning the abduction noted that the circumstances surrounding the attack and how the gunmen were able to escape with their victims were further justifications for allowing security outfits set up by state governments to be equipped with requisite weapons.
Afenifere stressed that a top officer of Amotekun, who was co -ordinating security in the area disclosed that they got to the farm settlement on time enough to rescue the victims ” but could not do so because the attackers carried sophisticated weapons including AK47.”
The Amotekun officer according to Afenifere maintained that “ it was difficult for our men to confront them frontally because these assailants carried heavy arms with rounds of bullets around their bodies. It is not unlikely that they even wore bullet-proof jackets whereas the highest weapons in the hands of our officers were Dane guns”, adding, ” were they to have equal arms, the attackers would not have escaped as Amotekun officials were able to prevent the terrorists from causing greater damage”,
Afenifere pointed out that the Amotekun officer added, “even with the limited weapons we carried. Were we to be allowed to carry sophisticated weapons that our assignment demands, the hoodlums would have met their waterloo.
” It is on record that a lot of calls have gone to the federal government to allow states that are so desired to set up state and community police with all the necessary paraphernalia to enable them maintain security in their respective domains. Among advocates of such calls were Afenifere, Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom etc. Southern Governors’ Forum earlier in the year also backed the call for state police. President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has however turned a deaf ear to the calls.”
The body said, “were Amotekun to be allowed to carry needed weapons, bandits would think it twice before they contemplate coming to Yorubaland”, adding, “our governors and our leaders in Yorubaland are aware of the possible attacks, but we are helpless in a way because of the handicap placed on our path by the federal government through its refusal to allow our state governments to put up requisite security structures.”
The Pan Yoruba socio political organization pointed out that the federal government’s continued refusal “is not only against the federal spirit of the country’s constitution, it is detrimental to the overall peace of the country”.
