On Thursday February 13th, 2020, Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, made a proclamation that Amotekun is no longer a regional security outfit, after he met with governors of Southwest region in Lagos.

After the meeting, Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu informed newsmen that they had a productive discussion with the IGP. He also disclosed that Amotekun was not conceived to replace regional police, but as a state-based security outfit.

Akeredolu said:

In addition, we have spoken and we want everyone to know that, Amotekun was not conceived as a regional police, but a state-based security outfit.

We have come out of this meeting happy and we have agreed on the resolution. We have shed lights on dark areas and we are on the same page with the police with respect to these issues.

The IGP, Mohammed Adamu, on his own part, disclosed that Amotekun will now function as a state initiative in line with community policing strategy. Furthermore, he said that the Nigerian Police Force take part in recruiting, training and deploying personnel to be assigned for Amotekun operations.

Adamu said:

Amotekun is not a regional security outfit. Every state has one form of security arrangement, whether it is vigilante or neighbourhood watch that are working security agencies in the states to fight crime.

Amotekun is not different from these initiatives. We have agreed that community policing strategy be infused into the Amotekun structure, so that policing will be initiative of the community members.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State also spoke at the end of the meeting. He said that Amotekun is part of the effort Southwest governors, to address insecurity in their respective states.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.