The takeoff of the Western Nigeria Security Network also known as Operation Amotekun may suffer delay as a result of the ban on gathering of more than 50 persons announced by the Lagos State Government and other states in the region.
Sources from the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria and some state governors told our correspondent in Lagos on Saturday that the takeoff of the security outfit might be postponed because of the emergency situation posed by the dearly virus.
Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, who is the chairman of the South-West Governors’ Forum had recently said the security outfit would take off in April but the virus might have forced the governors to shift the commencement date.
Akeredolu and other five governors in the region had in 2019 decided to establish a security outfit to complement the efforts of the Federal Government-owned security agencies to tackle insecurity in the area.
Herdsmen and other criminals had taken over in the region killing, kidnapping and destroying peoples’ properties in 2019 and the killing of the Funke, the 56 years old daughter of Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, by suspected herdsmen was the climax of the killings.
The sources told our correspondent that the states had started recruiting prospective corps for the security outfit but the training and takeoff of the project would be delayed by the outbreak of coronavirus in the country.
One of the sources said, “ The states have started recruiting personnel into the security outfit except Oyo State which is yet to start. Oyo State has not started recruitment and anybody who complains that they were not recruited is not saying the truth.” (Punch)
