Insecurity: Amotekun must and will be armed – Akeredolu

Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu has said that there is no going back in the decision to arm the security outfit, Amotekun Corps with sophisticated weapons to enable them effectively fight terrorists hellbent on committing acts of violence .

According to the governor, such will be backed by law, a clue that state lawmakers may soon legislate on the matter.

The Chief Press Secretary to Akeredolu, Richard Olatunde, made this known in a statement on Monday following the governor’s visit to the Passing-Out Parade of Courses 3 and 4 of the State Amotekun Corps at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Arcade, Igbatoro Road, Akure on Monday.

Governor Akeredolu maintained that the authority of the state has to come into play because the country is under threat by brazen conflict entrepreneurs and armed, audacious non-state actors.

He insisted that State Security outfits backed by law whether in western Nigeria, Katsina, Borno, Benue or any Northern State must be armed as well.

He explained that the Amotekun Corps must be given the tools to carry out its pivotal, indispensable duties, wondering why the powers that be expect it to function without good tools.

He said, “Without providing the sub-national security forces to be a counter-balancing force, we have a crisis which strikes at the heart of the conception and the definition of the state itself. It is not just the definition of the State, the State itself is under existential threat.

“The modern state is defined by Treaties. The conception of the modern state beatified by these treaties gives it “an incontestable monopoly of the means of violence, intimidation and coercion.

“Those passing out today have undergone rigorous training at great expense to the state. The training will not end here it will be continuous. However, no amount of training will mask the debilitation of fighting with one arm tied against implacable foes.

“Amotekun must therefore be armed and will be armed and be backed by law. Otherwise, the training will be inadequate and we will be placing the lives of these great patriots in danger.”

Akeredolu contended that it is unacceptable if the federal government authorities sanction different “rules of engagement for different sub-national governments.”