The Yoruba States‘ Joint Police Force to protect the region from kidnapping and other forms of crime is set for takeoff.
‘Amotekun’,
the joint security outfit was conceived in July at the height of
serious security challenge in the region. But its commencement was
delayed due to hitches in the recruitment of personnel and the need to
review operation guidelines.
Tagged: ‘Operation Amotekun’, the outfit is a product of the security summit organised by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria
(DAWN) Commission on behalf of the six governors in June. The summit
was organised in response to the wave of kidnappings, armed robberies
and other forms of criminality which peaked in the region at the time.
The governors reasoned that a joint regional security outfit was
necessary to confront crimes and prevent its continuation. But the
security challenge has subsided as a result of individual efforts by the
states.
Operation Amotekun will be a two-layer operation – at the central level and at the local level.
One hundred and twenty vehicles will be deployed for the central
operation with the headquarters in Gbongan, Osun State on the
Ibadan-Ile-Ife highway.