Amotekun To The Rescue -By John Kokome

The formation and roaring of Amotekun in the southwest region is indeed causing ripples in the camp of the enemy for fear of the unknown. We need no soothsayer to tell us our security situation is further deteriorating and nothing seems to have been done to address the terrible and embarrassing security situation facing us as a nation.

Yes, I agree the government of the day is doing its best to address the situation, but I must emphatically say its best is not good enough. Many are have been clamouring at different quarters for the sack of the current service chiefs. My question is this will that address the security situation in the country? The answer is NO!

There are fundamental issues breeding insecurity in the land, not until those issues are critically addressed, we may still have a long way to go as a country in achieving maximum security for all. One of the panacea to the insecurity is the restructuring of the country, economically and politically.

A country where there is injustice, inequality, oppression, suppression, mediocrity, cannot experience peace. The security architecture seems to be collapsing at the centre, hence the formation of a security outfit in southwestern part of the country named ‘Amotekun’. Those who are against the formation are the true enemies of the country. If they are not, I will like to ask, what have they done to stop the incessant killings going on a daily basis? Absolutely nothing!

The Federal government should be humble enough to swallow the humble pie and collaborate with the southwest governors as well as governors of other geopolitical zones to find a lasting solution to the senseless killings in the land. There is no doubt whatsoever, our security architecture needs to be holistically rejigged, the security chiefs are just arrow-heads, they are not the structure. For instance, how do we expect the best from officers and men of the armed forces, when they are not adequately funded and their morals deflated? Sacking the service chiefs and doing nothing about the structure, insecurity will sill persist, meaning their sacking would have been in vain. I am not in any way trying to hold brief for them, but the structure needs to support their efforts to achieve any meaningful result.

However, it is interesting to know that, it will take a regional champion like Amotekun for government to wake up to its responsibility of securing the lives and properties of citizens. If that is the only language they understand, then let there be more ‘Amotekuns’ in the land from the south down to the north for peace and tranquility to reign in the land.

Government must be ready to embrace the new reality and understand that security is a collective responsibility of both the federal and federating units. Since the centre has failed to tackle the situation as expected, they should be humble enough to encourage the federating units who are leading the way for them to follow. If the roaring sound of Amotekun in the southwest would send cold shivers down the spines of the bandits as well as other criminal elements that are threatening our internal security on a daily basis and guarantee safety, then we need Amotekun now more than ever before.

Only recently, the north has yet again recorded some very embarrassing and disturbing incidents of the killing of rice farmers in Borno State as well as the kidnapping of some schoolboys from their school in Kankara, Katsina State. Thankfully, the boys have regained their freedom. But then, for how long shall we continue to go through this kind traumatic experience? To me, it appears the criminals are have been given free hand to operate which must not be allowed, to continue unabated.

It is my firm believe that someday we shall overcome the security challenges bedeviling our country, if all the stakeholders within the Nigerian project would be encouraged to play their parts effectively, without any form of rancor. The formation of Amotekun is timely and should be supported by all who mean well for the safety of lives and properties not only in the southwest but in the entire country and more importantly, other regions should not hesitate to emulate this very courageous move by the southwest governors.

John Kokome
A Communication Strategist & Public Affairs Analyst
Writes from Lagos State
kokomejohn@yahoo.com