Amotekun won’t be confrontational, to protect all residents in Yoruba land, says YCE

The Senior Elders’ Forum of the Yoruba Council of Elders [YCE] yesterday allayed the fear of the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu that the Western Nigeria Security Network [WNSN] codenamed Amotekun will not be confrontational,saying the security outfit would be law-abiding and protect all residents in Yorubaland.

Responding to the position of Inspector General of Police on the agency, the immediate past-President of the Forum of the YCE, Dansaaki Ade Agbede said the joint security outfit of the Yoruba speaking-states which was launched in Ibadan on 9th January this year with fanfare,Agbede, maintained that there is no cause for alarm.

The elder statesman,who said the fear of the security officer, just as the position taken by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami were not a reflection of the seriousness of the issue at stake said the initiative must be embraced by all lovers of peace.

The elder statesman enjoined the IG and others in his shoes to show concern about the sanctity of lives of the people, both natives and non-natives, residing in Yorubaland which the governors of the Western Nigeria are very much worried about.

He said: ‘’Rather than the continued vilification of the progressive move by the agents of the Federal Government, the Yoruba people must be applauded for coming together to protect their lives and property as well as those of other residents in our land who engage in legitimate business and remain law abiding.

‘’The kind of unity the security outfit has brought about among our people is unprecedented in recent time as people of different political parties’ persuasion dropped their political garbs to embrace the initiative, a demonstration of the imperativeness of the idea.

‘’Those in Abuja must appreciate the fact that while the people of the North-East are facing insurgency, we in the Yorubaland are facing invasion and it would be fool hardy for us to stay aloof while being invaded which was why every son and daughter of the Yoruba race rose and qued behind our governors on the project’’.

Asking the governors of the Yoruba speaking states to remain resolute and unwavering in the struggle for the liberation of their people which had successfully begun because, ‘’we are behind you and believe in the struggle to free our people from the shackles of insecurity’’.

Agbede equally urged the Chairman of the Western Governors’ Forum and the Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, to shun diplomacy in his handling of the issue and be resolute and forceful in its execution.

He added:’’This is a project for which its time has come and there must be a concerted effort to see it through. I therefore urge our son, Governor Akeredolu, SAN not to waiver or be intimidated by whatever anybody may be saying or doing outside our race. We are solidly behind you and your brother governors on this particular project which is about our present and our future’’.
End.