The Southwest Security Network, also known by its codename Amotekun Corps, may induce the establishment of state police in Nigeria, according to Mohammed Shehu, Chairman of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). In Akure, the capital of Ondo State, when he was paying a state visit to the Amotekun Command Headquarters, he made this statement.

Isiak Hamid spoke on behalf of Shehu, the team leader of the Indices and Disbursement Committee, who said that the request for additional money for the corps was pertinent.

The RMAFC leader praised the South West Governors for the Amotekun project while stating that the security organisation has assisted in reducing crime since its formation.

He stated, “We want to applaud Governor Akeredolu and other governors in the southwest states for coming up with the admirable idea, which has continued to reduce crime to its barest minimum in the region, perhaps this would mark Nigeria’s introduction to state police.”

“We are aware of your cash request, but it is clear that you deserve more considering that protecting lives is one of every government’s core responsibilities. We have witnessed dedication, sterling character, and genuine patriotism. “We can see that the governor did not assemble this security team as a joke; it is not purely decorative.”

“The state government should grant a certain amount to Amotekun for it to access the stabilisation fund, and we hope that some of it would go toward the requirements of the Corps, and we will communicate your statement to our Chairman, who has sent us,” he said.

Meanwhile, the commander of the Ondo Amotekun, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, stated that the group requires additional assistance in the form of cash for equipment in order to effectively combat crimes and guarantee that residents of the state are able to sleep peacefully. We have the personnel, and we recognise the region, but we lack the equipment.

Even though our communication technology is excellent, it is severely insufficient but nevertheless useful in enhancing our security architecture. “I’ve been able to say for more than 2 years that we are worse off as a result of significant security issues, which could hinder the state’s socio-economic growth.”

“Within the first six months of our appointment, we got over 5,000 petitions from farmers alleging that they were being robbed, abducted, and having their livestock and farmlands destroyed.” However, with the help of our meagre resources, we were able to stop the problem.

There is an urgent need for support because we need to respond spontaneously whenever robbers strike, and this may be successfully done by 24/7 patrol. Despite our insufficiency, we are nevertheless able to use the limited equipment we have to monitor areas of the forest, but we would have loved a satellite-based tracker.

“Thank God we have not lost any personnel, but it has only been through God’s grace and the help of others. Locating bandits would have been simpler for us if we had had current technology, with such a device, we could observe from a distance.”

“Therefore, we are considering a situation in which we are permitted to employ non-prohibited weapons within the parameters of the statute creating the Corps. What we have are Dane guns and Pump actions that cannot stand the firepower of these criminals, and we don’t even have money for it,” he added.

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