Over one hundred vehicles to complement federal government efforts in tackling insecurity in South-West states of Nigeria under the “Amotekun” Scheme have been launched.

Speaking at the launch of vehicles tagged “Amotekun”, at the Governor’s Office, Ibadan, governors of the southwestern states in separate speeches said the security outfit was not to compete with Nigeria Police Force but to provide security for people of the region.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF and the governor of Ekiti state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi said the constitutional provision to protect lives and property of the citizenry informed the decisions to employ the security outfit.

Ondo state governor who is also the chairman of South-West Governors, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu said “Amotekun” was not a regional police as being insinuated in some quarters, maintaining that the outfit would not be used for political gains.

His counterpart from Osun state, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola who represented by the deputy governor, Mr. Benedict Alabi while emphasising that the initiative would have positive impact on the region urged the people to give necessary support to the security outfit.

Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi lauded the governors for shunning political differences by coming up with such initiative which he said would be beneficial to the entire South West region and Nigeria at large.

Earlier, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state, had noted that investment opportunities and growing Internally Generated Revenue could not thrive in an atmosphere of insecurity, hence the introduction of the “Amotekun” initiative to further enhance security in the region. 

Local security personnel Agbekoyas, hunters, vigilante groups, members of the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, community leaders and traditional rulers were part of the event.

Radio Nigeria’s Iyabo Adebisi reports that the red vehicles had the inscription of South Western Security Outfit and a picture of a leopard.

Iyabo Adebisi