Yoruba State Govs Urged To Empower Amotekun, OPC, Igboho, Hunters To Tackle Terrorism, Abductions
Governors of the Yoruba states and South-West region have been urged to tackle insecurity by immediately empowering hunters, the Western Nigeria Security Network, also known as Amotekun, Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, Iru Ekun recently formed by Chief Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, as well as other local security apparatuses.
The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, made the suggestion at the weekend.
MURIC Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, made the call in a statement issued on Friday, noting that this move had become urgently necessary in order to address and tackle the alarming rate of kidnapping and other violent crimes in the region.
The group spoke against the backdrop of series of kidnapping and killings, the most scandalous being the last month’s abduction of 39 students and seven teachers in some communities in Oriire local government area in Oyo State.
Akintola in the statement urged governors in the South-West to urgently empower and equip operatives of Amotekun, OPC and other local security apparatus to tackle the problems in the region.
He noted that people of the region should not wait until the foes have their ways before actions would be taken.
He added that more personnel should be recruited into the Amotekun Corps for effective service delivery.
MURIC advised: “More personnel should be recruited into the Amotekun Corps for effectiveness.”
In addition, it charged Yoruba Muslims to take inspiration from the Quran on the need to confront bandits, saying: “In a rare manifestation of battlefield emboldment, the Glorious Qur’an assured us that our enemies are mere mortals who feel what we feel. They also can sustain injuries and feel pain just as you can sustain injuries and feel pain (3:140).
“Embolding us further, the Glorious Qur’an says, ‘And do not weaken in pursuing the enemy. If you are suffering, they are suffering as you are suffering; but you hope from Allah that which they do not hope for. And Allah is Ever-Knowing, All-Wise.’ (4:104)
“We encourage Yoruba Christians to replicate this approach to criminality in the region. Bandits have a field day when we turn and run. But they don’t like confrontation. We must therefore meet their force with force, bullet for bullet, stratagem for stratagem. There must be balance of terror if we are going to succeed in stopping these hoodlums.”
