By Omolafe Olaoluwa

The Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed “Amotekun Corps” has lived up to its mandate and recorded nothing less than 95 percent success in securing lives and property of Ondo State residents in the last three years.

This assertion was made by the Ondo State Commander of the Corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye in Akure, Wednesday.

The Amotekun Commander who doubles as the Special Adviser to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Security Matters, made this known while fielding questions from members of the Online Media Practitioners in the state, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Corps Headquarters.

Enumerating some of the achievements of Amotekun Corps in the state, Adeleye said with the help of other sister security agencies, all hitherto blackspots particularly in Ose and Akoko axis have been significantly ripped of criminals.

While thanking Governor Akeredolu for providing enabling environment for the security agency to thrive, the Amotekun Boss stated that training and retraining of their men contributed immensely to the successes recorded so far.

Noting that men of the Corps especially in Ondo State have been equipped with requisite training in the last three years to properly handle sophisticated weapons and face criminals in the state headlong, he used the opportunity to appeal to relevant authorities under the Federal Government to do all that is necessary and allow Amotekun Corps carry modern weapons.

During the interactive session with the media managers, Akogun Adeleye stated that since it is obvious that Amotekun Corps was set up to help the mother security agencies in tackling issues of insecurity in the land, then all matters relating to inadequacy of equipment, which has no doubt been hampering the operations of the corps must be urgently addressed.

According to him: “We have a very good synergy with all the security agencies in Ondo State, like the Army, Police, Civil Defence and the DSS. Amotekun as an agency that came to being as a necessity, our major role is to assist the mother security agencies, and I want to say that we have been able to achieve much.

“We want to appeal to relevant authorities at the Federal Government level to give us opportunity of licensing our men to carry sophisticated weapons, having been tested over three years now, and it is obvious that our men have been adequately trained.

“We can assure the general pupulace that if allowed to carry sophisticated equipments like the ones the enemies have, it would definitely enhance our operations.

Speaking on the achievements of the corps in the last three years, the Commander said: “when we came on board about three years ago, it was virtually impossible for people across the state to go to their farms without fear of being kidnaped or molested. To transact businesses in banks became a risky adventure, as no one was safe then.

“We started with mass public enlightenment, to farmers and hearders, we also took our campaign to security agencies in the state, calling for their support, and also to remove any form of misconception of somebody coming to take their job, what we have been doing is to compliment their efforts.

“We received about 5,000 petitions against herders at inception, and we succeeded in resolving issues all issues brought before us. We carried the leadership of Miyetti Allah in the state and in the Southwest along, we explained to them how the right to do their business as a Nigerian will be protected, and that farmers also have the right to farm on their lands, harping on why they should be able to relate peacefully.

“After painstaking assessment, we made them to compensate the farmers whose crops were destroyed. As at today, we’ve been able to put things in proper shape security wise. For now, more than 95 percent issues of herders destroying farms crops had been resolved, not that we don’t see clashes once in a while, but it is nothing compared to the situation before.”

Besides, the Amotekun Commander posited that the war against crime and criminality in the society can only be won with robust funding to  enhance operations capacity.

Stressing further, he said acquiring sophisticated equipments will go a along way to secure border towns and effectively track the kidnappers hibernating in the forests.

He, however, supported the call in different quarters for the establishment of state police to tackle the alarming rate of insecurity in the country, stating that introduction of State Police remains the only solution to the menace of insecurity.

His words: “our major challenge is equipments. Security network has migrated towards intelligence gathering and so requires drones, trackers and other modern equipments. As at now, we depend on other sister security agencies for intelligence gathering which normally delays response during operations. So, if we are re provided with our own drones and other equipments, we will be able to secure more areas and be at the forefront of the war to track and rescue kidnap victims. These equipments are capital intensive, so, basically funding and lack of sophisticated equipments are the challenges facing the corps.”