PASSING-OUT PARADE OF PIONEER AMOTEKUN CORPS, AKEREDOLU CHARGES ON GOOD SERVICE DELIVERY IN ONDO

In what has been described by many as a Major move by the South West Governor’s forum which would see to a great reduction in the high and alarming rates of insecurities in the state, The Ondo State Governor Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, during the passing out Parade of the Pioneer Amotekun Corps today 11th of August charged the officers to live up the expectations of the people.

The governor speaking at the event stated that it is quite horrible to note that marauders have now laid siege to the highways as well as the farmlands waiting to kidnap anyone insight, an incident which is threatening the good and peaceful outlook which the southwest region is highly noted for.

 However, he stated that the creation of the Amotekun Corps will see to it that region confronts the challenge of insecurity which has been troubling the region. He explained that the launch of the security agency is not to serve or act as a parallel security structure to any of the security agencies, but it was rather set up to complement the existing security structure

According to the Governor, “the Ondo Security Network Agency is to oversee the management of the personnel as well as ensure logistic support to our security agencies particularly in areas of local intelligence gathering and sharing. I am in not in doubt of the capacity of the current leadership of the Agency to ensure that the objectives and targets of establishing the corps are achieved going by their pedigree and antecedents.”

 Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu charged them to ensure that they put into demonstration all that they had learned during their four weeks intensive training while also praising the Pioneer Commander of the Corps who despite the paucity of funds has taken the bull by the horn, producing the first set of the Amotekun Officers in the state within a short period of time. He also admonished the traditional rulers and all other existing security agencies to give the necessary support to the Corps as the Corps would be carrying out their respective assignment in the state.

THE PASSING-OUT PARADE OF PIONEER AMOTEKUN CORPS OFFICERS

TUESDAY, 11TH AUGUST, 2020

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this epoch-making event of the passing-out Parade of pioneer Amotekun Corps Officers.
In an era where the state of nature as theorised by Thomas Hobbes is fast gaining precedence in human interactions and statecraft, the skillful management of State affairs, must continue to adapt and evolve ingenious and sometimes, unorthodox solutions to ensure the maintenance of law and order. Otherwise man’s inhumanity to man will become the order of the day.
It is in the light of this that we as a government, particularly those of us of the progressive political ideology, must ensure that we set the pace and raise the stakes for others to follow. Within the Southwest geo-political zone, we are poised to champion the course of a better, safer and prosperous society and country. We are determined not to pay lip service to the constitutional role of government which is to seek the welfare and protection of the lives and property of the residents of the zone. They believe in our abilities and experience to improve their lot in life and we shall not disappoint them.

When we launched the Amotekun Corps in January this year, not a few
friends and associates felt I was putting my second term ambition on the line and I told them, time and again, that my ambition is not worth the insecurities that our people are confronted with, where at some point, people were afraid of travelling out of the State.

It was so horrible that marauders laid siege to the highways as well as in the farmlands waiting to kidnap or devour anyone insight. With the launch of the Amotekun, we resolved that it shall be no retreat, no surrender. We are not going to be intimidated or blackmailed.
It is incontrovertible that the existing security framework is being overstretched and we had to device a means of confronting the challenge of insecurity head-on. That was when the concept of Amotekun came up. As Yorubas, we are not known to surrender to our adversaries and if our forebears did not, we should not.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, on 4th March, this year, just two months after the launch of Amotekun in Ibadan, the Bill setting up the Corps was signed into law, after diligent and thorough work by the State House of Assembly. The import of this is that Amotekun Corps is now a legal entity not just the idea of an individual. As noted at the launch, it is not a parallel security structure to any of the security agencies. Rather, it is to complement what is on ground so that together they can achieve the goal of a safer environment, conducive enough to encourage foreign investors and rid our State of all forms of crime and criminally-minded elements.Accordingly, the Ondo State Security Network Agency is to oversee the management of the personnel as well as ensure logistic support to our security agencies particularly in areas of local intelligence gathering and sharing. I am not in doubt of the capacity of the current leadership of the Agency to ensure that the objectives and targets of establishing the corps are achieved going by their pedigree and antecedents.

Let me seize this opportunity to commend the Pioneer Commander, who despite the paucity of funds, has taken the bull by the horn and has produced these first set of officers within a short space of time. As reliably informed by the Corps Commander, I am sure that these men and women have undergone all the rudiments required of security personnel. Within our modest resources, we have provided state-of-the-art equipment, brand new patrol vehicles, and other telecommunications devices to ensure the smooth take-off of the Corps in the State.

As you go ahead with your Passing-Out Parade today, I want to see a demonstration of all that you have learnt as well as the drills and other tactics, as this would show to all and sundry that your choice was not a mistake. We are also using this opportunity to charge our traditional rulers and all other existing security agencies to give the necessary support to the Corps as these officers would be carrying out their assignments within our domains and it would be appropriate to ensure that they are encouraged by obliging them necessary lawful assistance whenever required.
As we progress in the fight against crime, I want to reassure the heads of our security agencies that our administration would continue to provide logistic in their support. Let me also seize this opportunity to request for a workable synergy among the leadership of the security agencies and that of Amotekun towards having harmonious working relationship.
Let me also encourage my counterparts, first in the Southwest, and in other parts of the country, to join in the crusade for the establishment of Community Policing. It is the way to go and the best thing that will happen as far as intelligence-based policing is concerned. The National Assembly must also do its part by addressing the issue of security as a matter of urgent national importance. The reality is that the conventional policing system needs to be revamped and strengthened, after many years of being overstretched. The increase in the spate and shades of crimes is a proof that the old ways of doing things can no longer work. We must involve more stakeholders, develop new policies and come up with water-tight strategies capable of arresting crimes even before they occur.
In conclusion, let me reassure our people that the forthcoming election in the State would be very peaceful as we shall not tolerate any form of thuggery or criminality occasioned by elections. We shall not spare any person found wanting in this regard.
Ondo State people are peace-loving and no criminal element shall be allowed to trouble our calm waters.

Thank you for listening and may God bless you all.