Ogun lawmakers ask gov to appoint new Amotekun commander

Ogun State House of Assembly, on Thursday, passed a resolution calling on Governor Dapo Abiodun to immediately appoint a new Commander for the State Security Network Agency, popularly called Amotekun Corps.

The new Amotekun head, the lawmakers said, must not be below the rank of a major in the military or its equivalent in other security agencies.

The House disclosed that the security agency, which had been without a head since the pioneer commander, CP Dave Akinremi (retd.), died mid-last year, had been seriously left in disarray and had been rendered redundant.

This was according to a statement sent to journalists on Thursday

The statement partly read, “The lawmakers during their sitting on Thursday presided over by the Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide, affirmed that the growing incidence of kidnappings and armed robberies in the state is a fall out of the fact that Amotekun which has been complimenting the efforts of the police and other security agencies is no longer effective.

“The house went ahead to urge Gov Abiodun to restructure the Amotekun Corps with recruitment of more personnel and appointment of a new head not below the rank of a Major or its equivalent in other security agencies, to begin to coordinate the affairs of the organisation”.

Leading the discussion on the floor of the house on Thursday, Babatunde Tella had reported the ineffectiveness of the Amotekun Corps following the demise of the state commander.

Tella said that “there have been reports that the operation of the Amotekun Corps is being hampered by insufficient fund; that the Corps is in dire need of more personnel who should be localised in the communities, they also need ammunition and vehicles to enable them meet up with the responsibilities of providing adequate security in the state”.

Other lawmakers, like Olusegun Kaka, Adebisi Oyedele, Lukman Adeleye, Adegoke Adeyanju and Fola Salami, recounted incidence of insecurity, especially kidnappings in their respective constituencies, which needed to be addressed headlong.

The resolution also sought the need to equip the Amotekun Corps with modern ammunition, up-to-date communication gadgets and other security apparatus as well as the procurement of additional vehicles to aid the operations and other activities of the corps.

The motion for the resolution asking the governor to quickly appoint a new head for Amotekun amng others was then moved by the Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff, seconded by the Minority Leader, Adeleye Lukman and supported by the Whole House through a unanimous voice vote.