During the session on Thursday, the Ogun State House of Assembly unanimously passed a resolution urging Governor Dapo Abiodun to promptly designate a new Commander for the State Security Network Agency, commonly known as Amotekun Corps.
The lawmakers emphasized that the incoming head of Amotekun should hold a rank not lower than a major in the military or a comparable position in other security forces.
Without a leader since the unfortunate passing of the pioneer commander, CP Dave Akinremi (retd.), last year, the House revealed that the security agency had fallen into disarray and become ineffective.
This information was conveyed in a statement released to the press on Thursday
According to the statement, “The legislators, led by Speaker Oludaisi Elemide, highlighted that the rise in cases of kidnappings and armed robberies in the state can be attributed to the waning effectiveness of Amotekun, which had been supporting the efforts of the police and other security agencies.
“The assembly further urged Governor Abiodun to revamp Amotekun by bolstering its personnel strength and appointing a leader with a rank no less than a Major or its equivalent in other security organizations to oversee the agency’s operations”.
Raising concerns during the parliamentary session, Babatunde Tella underscored the operational shortcomings of the Amotekun Corps following the demise of the state commander.
Tella highlighted that “reports have indicated financial constraints impeding the operations of the Amotekun Corps; the urgent need for additional personnel to be stationed within communities for enhanced local security, as well as the necessity for arms, ammunition, and vehicles to empower them to fulfill their security obligations in the state”.
Other legislators, including Olusegun Kaka, Adebisi Oyedele, Lukman Adeleye, Adegoke Adeyanju, and Fola Salami, also shared incidents of insecurity, particularly kidnappings, within their constituencies that require immediate attention.
The resolution further emphasized the importance of outfitting the Amotekun Corps with modern weaponry, advanced communication devices, and other necessary security equipment, along with procuring additional vehicles to support their operations and other tasks.
The motion for the resolution urging the governor to promptly appoint a new leader for Amotekun, among other measures, was proposed by Majority Leader Yusuf Sheriff, seconded by Minority Leader Adeleye Lukman, and endorsed by the entire House through a unanimous voice vote.