A group, under the aegis of the Alliance of Yoruba Democratic Movements (AYDM), has called on traditional rulers across the South West region to create local vigilantes in their domain to ward off crimes.
AYDM, an alliance of over 120 Pan Yoruba groups, made the call on Wednesday in a signed statement by its General Secretary, Mr Popoola Ajayi, a copy of which was made available to newsmen, in reaction to the killing of two royal fathers in Ekiti State by gunmen a few days ago.
The group in the statement strongly condemned the brutal killings of two traditional rulers by bandits, along with the reprehensible kidnapping of school children and their teachers at Emure Ekiti, and called on law enforcement agencies to do everything within their power to ensure the safe and swift rescue of the victims.
It would be recalled that the two monarchs, namely the Onimojo of Imojo in the Oye Local Government Area, Oba Olatunde Olusola, and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti in the Ikole Local Government Area, Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin, were said to be returning from a security meeting in the state when the sad incident occurred.
Their vehicles ran into the suspected kidnappers, who had laid an ambush on the road, while the bandits chased the Alara of Ara Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba in the Ikole Local Government Area, who was also returning from the same meeting alongside the two monarchs, in a bid to kidnap him.
The group, while making the call, said each community should organise itself and not wait for the State or Federal Government to do everything on security.
This was just as the movement disclosed that it had put the structures in place for the convening of the South West Security Summit soon, pointing out that the resolutions that would evolve from the parley would be a milestone.
“We are going to announce the date soon. AYDM is organising a Security Summit. The resolutions will be a milestone,” AYDM said.
Speaking further, AYDM asserted that the Federal Government and states were overwhelmed and had proved incapable of dealing with the security of Yoruba livelihood, noting that the major problem confronting the state governors was a lack of control over the security apparatus, which undermines the principles of Federalism.
The group, therefore, urged Obas in the region to set up vigilante groups in their communities, saying that the men should be trained on intelligence gathering and unarmed combat.
“The men should be trained on intelligence gathering and unarmed combat. They should acquire legal weapons to protect our vulnerable communities,” AYDM said.
The movement, while expressing deep concern over the escalating spate of kidnappings across the South West region, further called on South West governors to urgently reinforce and empower the Amotekun Security Network to flush out criminal elements in Yorubaland.
According to AYDM, Amotekun is currently “limited by many factors which included recruitment of aides of politicians, lack of adequate training, lack of equipment and lack of insurance for members which lowers their determination to commit their energy into the dangerous field of engaging heavily armed Fulani herdsmen.”
“The senseless and barbaric acts that claimed the lives of our revered traditional rulers in Ekiti State are not only an assault on the Yoruba heritage but also an affront to the sanctity of human life,” AYDM.
The group expressed heartfelt condolences to the families affected by these tragic events, saying that it stands in solidarity with the entire Yoruba community during this difficult time, just as it condemned the kidnapping of innocent school children and their teachers, describing the incident as “an egregious violation of the fundamental right to education and security.”
AYDM, therefore, called on the governors of the Southwest states to take immediate and decisive action to strengthen the Amotekun Security Network, positing that the reinforcement of Amotekun would not only serve as a deterrent to criminal elements but would also enhance the security architecture of the region and Nigeria at large.
It charged the governors to provide Amotekun with the necessary resources, training, and equipment to effectively combat criminal activities, collaborate with security agencies, traditional rulers, and local communities to gather intelligence and enhance proactive measures against criminal elements.
It also called for the implementation of community-oriented policing strategies to foster a closer relationship between security forces and the local populace.
AYDM expressed the belief that a united and well-equipped Amotekun was crucial to the restoration of peace and security in Yorubaland, calling on all stakeholders, including community leaders, Yoruba Self-determination Groups, civil society organizations, and residents, to collaborate with the government in the collective effort to rid our region of criminal elements.
“We trust that swift and decisive actions will be taken to ensure the safety and well-being of the people in the South West,” the group said.