The Oyo State Amotekun Operatives Work Under Terrible Condition; What Needs To Be Fix -By Segun Adebowale

The recent development in the Oyo State Security Network (Amotekun) facilitated by the Oyo State Government is a good indication that the Governor of the State Engineer Seyi Makinde and the Oyo State House of Assembly take the Non-human material development in the Agency at the expenses of human development, who will put the non-human materials to utilization so as to achieve the desired security objectives of the Gov Seyi Makinde’s led administration. As one Yoruba’s proverb says “that the child you failed to train shall definitely sold the mansion built” (Omo t’abi, t’a o ko, loma gbe ile ta a ko ta).

The distribution of one hundred brand new JMC hilux vans as operational vans to each of the 33 Local Government headquarters of Oyo State Amotekun offices, (which is highly commendable) would if personnel development is not considered, be a wasted effort, because the Amotekun officers who are to put all these non-human resources to use are not properly trained for the Security task entrust to their hand. The fifteen days training exercise in November 2020, which can be regarded as half baked training exercise undergone by the Oyo State Amotekun Operative, which the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) and its Governing Board ought to have make whole and standard by organizing an exclusive and in-depth paramilitary retraining exercise for all Amotekun operatives in 2021 but up till date nothing of such was done. The significant of retraining exercise in military and paramilitary work cannot be overemphasized. This would make paramilitary personnel like Oyo State Amotekun corps operatives to perform exceedingly more than the rate they are doing as at today.

The ways and manner the Oyo State Amotekun operatives do compose themselves when out for operation and at their various LG offices is a bad signal to an outsiders that there is leadership tussle among them. I have witnessed a scenario at an LG office close to the State Hq where some stubborn and bold operatives were refuting the so call coordinator’s order on the basis that they and the coordinator are of equal status with the same salary.
The Oyo State Security Network Agency and it board of governance has not seen sufficient reasons to make operational manual, code of conduct and grading / ranking system available for the Oyo State Amotekun corps operatives and neither has the Agency, the Board of Governance and Amotekun Commandant see it as a necessity to adopt or borrow from the exiting operational manual of the Nigeria Police Force, the Civil Defense Corps, Man ‘o War, Religious voluntary Organizations, Boys scout, the Oyo State Road Transport Management Agency (OYRTMA), and even the Odua People Congress (OPC which allows rank, which was carried out recently despite their corrupts practices), if they’re so busy doing nothing to come out with the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun’s) original copy.

Lack of adequate administrative and managerial techniques by the Oyo State Amotekun board of governance and the state commandant enable them to advise the state government to procure seven to eight operational vehicles to a LG which Amotekun operatives is between 35 downward. Under the working condition of dearth of expert, trained and experienced drivers in all the 33 Local Government offices of the State. No fueling arrangements from the state government, this invariably supports the willingness of corrupt Amotekun coordinators and operatives to indulge in extortion of innocent citizens.

The Oyo State Government through the manipulation of the Amotekun state commandant and compliance of the Oyo State Amotekun board of governance have witnessed Dazzling achievements on a materialistic level in the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun), the Amotekun operatives (personnel) have unfortunately not been able to attain peace and happiness on a mental level and job satisfaction. The Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) personnel is beset by a growing number of problems which can only be solved by paying more attention to professional and standard procedure guiding world security personnel. Would it not be an under-statement that Major General kunle Togun the Amotekun Board Chairman and Colonel Olayinka the Amotekun Commandant who have successfully managed battalion of Army while in Nigeria Army, is failing horribly in successfully manage the Oyo State Amotekun corps to attain a Standard and Professional status.

In this generation, one should not dispute the fact that moral degradation exists everywhere. The moral status of Oyo State Amotekun operatives is worst due to the management failure to make available ‘dos and don’ts’ (operational manual and Code of conduct) to the Oyo State Amotekun operatives. The Oyo State Amotekun operatives drive recklessly, they involve in violation of human right, public extortion, abuse of power, excessive consumption of alcohol, smoking of India hemps (igbo) and cigarettes while on duty. There should be regulatory body to check all these and other awkward behaviors not expected from Security personnel.

The Oyo State Government has not deem it fit to set up the Investigation Unit of the Agency and the Independent Amotetun Corps Complaints Committee as contained in Article 22 and 23 of the Oyo State Amotekun’s Law 2020, whose functions in developing the State Security Outfit cannot be over-ruled.

I was fortunate to be in the epoch making event of official handing over of the Amotekun operational vehicles to each of the 33 Local Government Chairman, it was there that the Amotekun State Commandant Colonel Olayinka made a public declaration that there is Standard Medical Centre at Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) headquarters in which both Amotekun operatives and civilians are to benefit. The spirit is good and commendable, as this centre; I think would enable the Amotekun operatives who might need serious medical care to get a kind of an extensive first aid care from the Amotekun Medical Centre before moving the patient to hospital where proper and extensive medical care would be given. My plight with this good news is that would the patients be attended to by quack nurses and doctors? And if professional and qualified doctors and Nurses are to employed as staff of the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) would those Doctors and Nurses recruited be without grade level and rank? Because there is no specific requirement for interested citizens neither is there any call on the advert for medical practitioners in the ongoing Oyo State Amotekun recruitment exercise.

When I get to the event of official handing over of operational car keys to the 33 Local Government Chairman, I discovered that the program of event was written and even conducted in English Language. This and other Amotekun’s office document consistently contradict the opinion of Colonel (rtd) Olayinka that educational attainment is not matter in selecting leaders in the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun).

The Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) management has failed woefully in implementation of all progressive and sections of the Oyo State Security Network Agency Law 2020 as it is signed by Eng Seyi Makinde the Executive Governor of Oyo State. The Amotekun Board of Governance has woefully failed in performing its pertinent primary duties toward Amotekun corps personnel development as contained in Article 8 under power of the Board.

If and only the Oyo State Government can mandate the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) and its Board of Governance to work and invest extensively on its personnel development rather than investing on material / equipment (which are also important) that some of the Agency staffs including the commandant are hiding under to perpetrate their evil intent of defrauding the Oyo State Government through their corrupt practices. The human resources / personnel developed shall in no small measure facilitate and utilize any form of Security equipment invested upon by the Oyo State Government.

In conclusion, the Oyo State Government, the Executive Gov Seyi Makinde, The Oyo State House of Assembly and other concerns stake-holders are kindly beseech to look into creation of a friendly and conducive service condition for the Oyo State Amotekun Operatives.