Amotekun Should Be Allowed To Carry Arms – Oyebanji

Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State has said Amotekun corps should be allowed to carry sophisticated arms to combat rising insecurity in the South West.

Oyebanji stated this on Sunday during a media chat tagged ‘Meet Your Governor’  in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, Naija News reports.

He said the six governors in the region had commenced discussions with President Bola Tinubu’s led federal government to allow the Amotekun corps to bear arms.

Oyebanji said his colleagues are of the view that the growing level of kidnappings, killings and other heinous crimes in the region would be adequately tackled by the local security outfit with the right arms.

He disclosed that the former administration of President Muhammadu Buhari allegedly frustrated the effective and efficient operations of the local security network when it was established a few years ago.

Oyebanji described President Tinubu as an advocate of true federalism, expressing optimism that the present administration would agree with the request of the South West governors.

He said, “On Amotekun, I think we are turning the corner but I also know the legal structural limitations to Amotekun. We didn’t have the kind of robust engagement we would have loved to have with the last administration at the federal level; grudgingly, they allowed us to be but they planted a lot of obstacles to its effectiveness, they can’t carry arms but you know that the present President is an advocate of true Federalism and I am sure we will navigate that.

“I don’t know how you want someone to combat criminals without protecting himself, that is a big issue. So, what we are using Amotekun for now is to gather intelligence that we share with formal security apparatus.

“Amotekun has the potential to do more if they are allowed to carry arms, and it is a conversation the South West governors are having with the federal government, and I am sure very soon, something will be done in that regard because it is glaring that the local entity understands the environment better and we will get to the end of that very soon; the discussion has been positive.”