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From Priscilla Ediare, Ado Ekiti
Ekiti State Governor Mr Biodun Oyebanji has been urged to equip the State’s Security Network, known as Amotekun Corps, with modern technological facilities that will enhance its operations.
Concerned citizens and stakeholders in the state, who urged the governor said it became necessary to put into consideration the present security situation in the country.
Some of the stakeholders who spoke with Journalists in Ado-Ekiti including a Legal Practitioner, Oluwalana Adekola, a Cleric, Pastor Sola Aladeloba and a retired Principal, Elder Segun Durojaye, noted that though the Corps had improved in its operations, much more still needed to be done to enable the Corps to meet up with desired expectations.
According to the respondents, to arrest any kidnapper or armed robber in this age requires more than traditional mechanisms, adding officers of the Corps must have access to good guns, communication gadgets, operational vehicles, motorbikes as well as drones.
They affirmed that such operational vehicles and motorcycles should be procured in large numbers and distributed across all local governments and Local Council Development Areas ( LCDAs).
The respondents said the government of Ekiti State must learn from Ondo and Oyo States where the Corps is well supported with the necessary facilities.
An interview with one of the officers of the Corps who didn’t want his name in print revealed that the Corps does not have operational vehicles in some Councils.
He added that the various arrests made were out of the personal sacrifices of officers and commitment.
“How do you access a forest or kidnappers’ den when you don’t have motorcycles, besides, we don’t have access to good guns that can be used to face these miscreants.
“If an officer is in the bush for instance, he can only be reached through the phone and in the case of no network, he is on his own, but with some modern-day gadgets, you can track and locate any criminal and communicate with officers on the field easily. We are left to face criminals with our bare chest and this is not the best.”
Another officer told Journalists that their take home is also poor considering the current economic reality.
“Some of us still earn as low as twenty thousand naira, what can that do for you? We need to be motivated so as to also give our best.”
