Oyo State Government on Tuesday announced it had approved the sum of N59.8 million for the take-off of the State Security Network Agency codenamed ‘Operation Amotekun’
The release forms part of the decision reached at the state’s 19th virtual executive meeting, Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun, the State’s Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, said in an update on the outcome of the meeting.
He said that “further on the establishment of the State Security Network, codenamed ‘Operation Amotekun’ and for effective take-off of the agency, the State Executive Council has approved the procurement of 3000 units of uniforms and accouterments such as combat boots, lanyard, baseball hats, security belts, worsted socks, production of Amotekun and Oyo State logo for 3000 Amotekun corps to be recruited into the agency at a total sum of N59, 783, 437.50.
“The uniforms and accouterments which will be given to each recruited Amotekun Corp will serve as a form of identity for the corps and will distinguish them from other security agencies in the state.”
The six states in the South West agreed to set up the Amotekun security network to help them fight the rising wave of kidnapping, armed robbery, and other forms of banditry in the region, citing the failure of the regular Police to contain the trend. Insecurity in the country has since escalated, covering virtually all regions.
While the states had initially planned to establish the security outfit as a regional organization, they were prevented by the Federal Government, which insisted it could only be set up by individual states.
To circumvent the restriction, each state House of Assembly had to pass an act authorizing the state to establish such an outfit. All the six states in the region passed the acts in quick succession.
