Fidelis David in Akure
The Congress for Rights of Ondo State Nationalities (CROSN) has asked the federal government to desist from frustrating the Western Nigeria Security Network (a.k.a Operation Amotekun), an initiative the governments of the South-west states set up to address Fulani herdsmen violence.
In a statement by its National Chairman, Mr. Abiodun Fanoro and General Secretary, Tunde Aiyenumelo yesterday, CROSN accused the federal government of undermining the region, citing its refusal to grant request to allow the security outfit to use AK47 riffle to protect lives and property.
The statement alleged that with its refusal to grant Amotekun licence to bear arms, the federal government might be deriving some benefits from the security threat to lives and property in the area, retarding the economy, in line with their old and traditional agenda of slowing down the region’s development.
The group’s allegation came few days after the Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu announced that the Federal Government had refused to grant request by governors in the region to allow Amotekun carry AK47 rifle.
The group noted that, “Request by the Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on behalf of other governors in the region, is in consonance with the mandate of people of the region to the governors, after sacrificing time and energies to come out with the security frame-work which they also overwhelmingly endorsed.
“It is therefore very pertinent to let the central government know that its blunt refusal is not only undermining the region’s security and entire life it is a calculated disrespect to the governors, a provocative contempt against the people of the region, assault on their sensibility and intelligence and a recipe for self-defence.”
In the statement, the group said “the defiance of the federal government to the demand by the people and government in the South-west in the face of its glaring failure to provide security as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution, is indeed questionable, outrageous and double-standard, especially, the way it continues to close its eyes to the free and unchallenged manners, Fulani herders acquire and recklessly use same fire-arm.
It added that “it becomes more curious that Amotekun, a creation and an institution of regional government with elected officials and appointees who could account for the procurement and deployment of the fire-arm, with disdain is denied access to them, especially in a federal system of administration, where the governors are the Chief Security Officers of their respective entities”
Recalling the patriotic and heroic feat of Amotekun in collaboration with other security agencies in fishing out suspected terrorists allegedly involved in last June attack on Owo, Ondo State Catholics church, the group said it was an irony that the federal government that should be saluting and celebrating the gallant action of the outfit, was engaging in measures that could cripple its performance.
While commending Akeredolu and his colleague-governors for the remarkable reduction in the notorious activities of herders, kidnappers and other criminals in the region due to the hard work of Amotekun operatives, CROSN urged them not be swayed by antics of the Federal Government and should go ahead to deploy in all legitimate means to get required arms and empower the outfit for optimal performance.
