Why I support ‘Amotekun’, by Charles Kaye Okoye

People have been asking my take on this issue. I had wished to allow it ride without taking a position.

But I have been pressed for my take on it.

I SUPPORT IT!

I support whatever that can ensure that I sleep with my two eyes closed, while I dream away.

I support whatever that can give me more confidence to travel on our highways.

I support it!

The security is improving gradually, the herdsmen menace is reducing, kidnapping is reducing, armed banditry is reducing, at least from what they were last two years, still security in this nation is nothing to write home about. The police is overwhelmed and at some other times have been found to connive with the bad boys, leaving innocent Nigerians to their fate.

I have always supported community policing and state police, despite the fears some people express about their being used as political tools against political opponents and perceived enemies. I know they can never be worse than kidnappers and armed robbers. So, give me state and community police; give me Amotekun; I’d rather have them than have cultists, armed robbers, kidnappers, killer herdsmen, and armed bandits rule the city.

So, I support Amotekun 100%. I don’t also mind their use of light weapons, because how much can they achieve against gun-bearing criminals who know that those attempting to stop them bear no arms?

I support Amotekun….

But, it is until the promoters of this outfit take the FG into confidence, show their plan, show how they plan to pay the Amotekun warriors, and how they hope to maintain the outfit, show how they have to ensure that the security outfit does not grow out of control in the future, show that they understand that this outfit may not be there forever and how to ensure that when such time comes, members of this outfit would not become terror themselves.

There is need to sit down with the government to discuss, and to assure the FG that all gray areas have been ironed out before take-off. The noise and chest-beatung by the promoters is no solution and can never help them.

It is also something of major concern that the major aim of this outfit seems to be the protection of the south-west from herdsmen. At least going by the comments from the promoters and supporters of Amotekun; it seems that the focus is on the Fulanis. This in itself is a very wrong signal, and have brought back the memories of crime profiling that we spoke against in the past. While accepting that the killer Fulani herdsmen need to be stopped, what about the “Yoruba” ritualists? The all-tribes cultists? The multi-nation armed robbers?

There has been this impression that Amotekun is being ostensibly created to check the Fulanis. The promoters should assure Nigeria and the federal government that it is being created to wage war against every form of crime and criminality in the South-west.

Nnamdi Kanu also promised to send 1m men for Amotekun, to enable the Yoruba to fight the Fulanis. …he may be a clown, but his sentiment aligns with the majority thinking that this is targeted at the Fulanis. It is already assuming ethnic and tribal posture. Isn’t this disturbing already? And can any reasonable government pretend not to notice inherent dangers, if not properly harmonised?

The government and police may have been slack with security and policing, but much as Amotekun and other similar outfits can be seen as solution, the call for caution and proper planning will never be out of place.

I support Amotekun, but let the promoters take care of all gray areas first.

Thank you!

*Okoye is a public affairs analyst in Nigeria.