The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation, Afenifere, has called on President Bola Tinubu to license the Western Security Network codenamed Amotekun to carry lethal weapons.
This is just as the group called on the President to urgently overhaul the security architecture of the country to enhance security of lives and property.
The group made the call on Tuesday in a communique issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, shortly after a caucus meeting in the Akure home of the Leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti.
Precisely, the group explained the need for officers of Amotekun to bear arms than non-state actors and called for the procurement of modern technology that will aid the military in the ongoing fight against banditry and terrorism.
The communique read: “There is also the urgent need to include modern technology more comprehensively in the efforts at combating banditry and terrorism. Doing so would check, if not totally stop, the incidences of kidnapping and sundry banditry now ravaging the land. Afenifere also advocated for the licensing of states’ security networks code-named Amotekun in Yoruba- speaking states to carry lethal weapons. This can be done prepatory to the setting up of State Police.
“Afenifere also called for greater cooperation between Amotekun corps and other security agencies. Command and Control posts be installed across all the local government areas so that information can be shared in real-time as is done in many developed and not-so-developed countries.”
The group also said, “In view of the present security situation as stated interalia, Afenifere advocated for the overhauling of the Security Architecture in the country. This is with a view at ensuring that Nigerians are able to live and move about without the fear of being kidnapped or harassed in any way. Such reworking should include accelerating actions on the decision of the government to have state police.
“Afenifere is very persistent on the need to ensure that Yoruba language is used more as a medium of communication. The body specifically called on Governments in Yoruba-speaking states to make Yoruba the medium of teaching at elementary levels of our education: kindergarten/nursery, primary and junior secondary schools. Afenifere also urged Legislatures in Yoruba-speaking states to make Yoruba the language of conducting their legislative businesses as much as possible.
“In view of the strategic position that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Plc and Independent Oil Marketers occupy in the oil sector, Afenifere strongly called on them to let the interest of the nation, nay the interest of the people of Nigeria, be uppermost in their minds and actions.”
On the high costs of food items in the country, the group urged states and local governments to empower local farmers by providing them with needed resources – even at subsidized rates, saying it will also enhance the council’s finances and boost the local economy.
It also called on President Bola Tinubu to leverage on his known democratic credential as a federalist by quickening the country’s realization of true federalism as soon as possible.
