The Issue of Amotekun has become the bane we face today as a contraption in the form of a nation. It will also be the one thing that will decide how we proceed as a nation or otherwise. Many people have alluded to the creation of Amotekun for various reasons. A Northern Elite, Balarabe Musa stated that Amotekun is a ploy by the Yorubas to create Oduduwa republic.
The federal government on its part has declared Amotekun illegal and that has raised a lot of discordant tunes in the country. The Yoruba leaders have stood their ground and said there’s no going back on the already launched security outfit codenamed Amotekun.
Some other writers see the creation of Amotekun from a political viewpoint and this is where I find it very nauseating.
It has become very clear to me that we have lost our humanity. I believe everyone in the country can attest to the deplorable security situation in the country. Many people have lost their lives because of the implosion of criminal vices in the country. Some years back, we only know about armed robbers who only invade people’s homes or places of business or attack on the streets or major highways.
In recent times, the stories have changed and there have been various deadly and very brutal groups whose purpose is not just about money, but, domineering, intimidation, religious extremists. And these groups have metamorphosed into Boko Haram, Bandits, Kidnappers, herdsmen and ISWAP.
Citizens of this country have been brutalized, slaughtered, maimed, killed, raped and burnt to death by these destructive elements in our society.
Last year around July, the daughter of the Afenifere leader was brutally murdered by some suspected Fulani herdsmen and up till today, no one has been prosecuted for such dastardly acts.
In December 2019 in Enugu, a man was driving home for Christmas with the wife and the daughter. At a certain point into their journey, he got to a bad section of the road and was trying to slow down and move past the potholes, a young man suspected to be a Fulani herdsman jumped on the road from the bush, carrying his AK 47 gun and charged at the man to stop. He opened the door and started dragging the steering with the man and as the man resisted, he shot him dead and ran back inside the bush.
There have been more horrifying stories like this every passing day. They spare no one. The other time, it was a pregnant woman they raped and killed.
Now, My questions are, do we not value human lives in this country? Why would anyone object to this noble idea by the Yoruba nation? Why are people much concerned about politics than the life of the citizens that someone would be alluding this security outfit to a political tool instead of first acknowledging the fact that there’s utmost need to protect and preserve human lives.
I, in strong terms, support this noble creation and also encourage other regions to do the same. The Issue of security of lives and properties does not need a special directive to do so. Every state governor is the chief security officers of the state they govern.
I remembered a time the presidency read the riot acts to state governors to find lasting solutions to criminalities which seem to be pervading the land at that moment and is still very much present. If the presidency did this back then, why then are they stopping these governors from protecting their people?
It is quite disheartening that most people from the core north are very much against Amotekun. And the questions that observers keep asking are, what are the differences between Hisbah, a shariah security outfit in the north and the civilian JTF also in the north.
The Borno State Youth Vanguard is a security outfit Fully kitted with submachine guns, operational vehicles and divided into sectors and platoons with commanders. They’ve got uniforms, ranks and are salaried!
In Benue State, there’s the livestock guard, initiated by Gov. Ortom and are well equipped. Their work is simply to secure lives and protect their farms and farm produce from destruction by the herders.
If you look at these whole dramas clearly, you will understand that the controversy generated by the security outfit was needless as 23 states nationwide have similar local security outfits but not on a regional basis like the South-west’s initiative. I don’t see anything wrong with states from the same region, coming together to create a security outfit. It saves cost and brings synergy in it. The concept should be commended and not condemned.
The states that operate one form of local security outfit or the other are Kaduna, Sokoto, Kano, Zamfara, Borno, Yobe, Rivers, Osun, Benue, Katsina, Cross River State, Enugu, Taraba, Adamawa, Anambra, Ondo, Ebonyi, Edo, Nasarawa, Plateau, Niger, Bauchi, and Abia.
The brouhaha clearly shows the thinking and rationalization of the northerners that they have this prerogative right to do anything and others don’t but, they are the most to preach unity and indivisibility of the country. How does this reconcile each other?
No matter how anyone sees the creation of Amotekun, I personally see it as the best move ever taken by an ethnic tribe to ensure the security of lives and properties of their people.
The right to live securely comes first and no one should take that away from anyone or group.
Let us set aside our ever functional strategic minds that involve politics and talk about securing lives which are very paramount because it is who that is alive that grow economy and do anything that humans do.