The Oyo State Amotekun Corps Are Not Hunters “ODE’ -By Segun Adebowale

No matter the awkwardness or level of unprofessional administration operating in the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun), it is indefatigable fact that the Oyo State Amotekun personnel are not suppose to be addressed as “Hunter” (ODE) whose duty is to hunt for bush meat, but rather as “Law enforcement officers” (Agobofinro)

Addressing the Oyo Amotekun as hunter by the State Commandant Colonel Olayinka, on several occasion is against the Oyo State Security Network Agency and Amotekun Corps Law 2020, with the responsibilities entrusted to the Oyo State Amotekun operatives by section 5 and 6 of the Oyo State Security Network Agency Law, 2020, under the Objectives and Functions of the Agency, these operative and officers (as contain in sections 22 (2), 39 (c and 3) of the Oyo State Security Network Agency Law, (2020) are better address as “Law enforcement officers”. Beside, Oyo State Amotekun corps is distinct from hunters by their Uniform which are normally smartly ironed and carries the Oyo State logo and Western Nigeria Security Network logo.

Though, very optimistic, the era of unprofessionalism in the Agency shall not continue forever, it is moving toward a definite end. Whatever has a beginning must have a definite end. “Ohun ti i tan l’egun odun…” 

The unprofessionalism practice responsible for referring to the Oyo State Amotekun as hunter is behind denying the operative a functional operational manual and code of conduct to regulate the Oyo State Amotekun corps indisciplined behavior. As law enforcement agents, there should be operations manual which provides guidance for members and employees to perform their functions correctly, reasonably and efficiently. It documents the approved standard procedures for performing operations safely. Likewise, the code of conduct is to explain exactly what conduct is expected of all operatives and officers and the consequences, if acted unethically. 

As the Oyo State Amotekun corps is heading toward clocking two years, no personnel development such training and retraining, workshops or seminars where most of these personnel who has never engage in a law enforcement work can learn the ethics and rudiment of the job. No appointment letter stating the terms and condition of Service. Lack of Subvention for the Local Government Amotekun offices, and lack of this grant makes each Local Government office to extort the members of public whenever the Oyo State Amotekun corps’ services is needed in their respective Local Government command, this demand for money and extortion is stain on the integrity of the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) personnel, even in the Agency and State Government. And the Local Government Council that can also provide stipend or basic operation equipment for the Oyo State Amotekun Local council offices are complaining of sending the sum of One Million Naira (N 1000000.00), on monthly basis to the Oyo State Amotekun headquarters without knowing what the money is being use to procure.

The Oyo State Amotekun Board of Governance and other attached management team make the two years old Oyo State Amotekun corps who suppose to have grown as two years Oyo State Anti-corruption Agency (OYACA). The OYACA establishing law is just three months older than the Oyo State Security Network Agency Law. Oyo State Anti-corruption law was signed by His Excellency Engineer Seyi Makinde in December 10, 2019 and the State Security Network Agency Law was accented to by His Excellency Eng Seyi Makinde in the year March 10, 2020. Apart from different in month of the law, the leadership of the Oyo State Anticorruption Agency is proactive and up to the task in making the Law functioning to achieve desired goals and objective of the Agency (OYACA), whereas the Oyo State Amotekun Board of Governance and the Civil servants seconded to the Agency are redundant in making the Agency progress but active in siphon the security fund voted to the Agency by the Oyo State Government. The Oyo State Security Network Agency and Amotekun Corps Law 2020 was discarded (and twisted when necessary) to give way for their self interest.

The Oyo State Amotekun corps as civil servants are place on the same grade level regardless of their academic qualification, which makes the Oyo State Civil Service Commission grade its personnel accordingly. Why should the case be different with the Oyo State Amotekun corps? 

The Oyo State Amotekun Commandant, at this enlighten century, is boasting about and capitalizing on selecting who to lead in Oyo State Amotekun corps based on “juju” power the “law enforcement officer” possessed. Was the “juju possessed” considered for Colonel (rted) Olayinka Olayanju before he was decorated as a Colonel while in the Nigerian Army, which make him to be appointed as the Oyo State Amotekun Corps Commandant? Was the amount of “juju” power possessed considered for the appointment of the Oyo State Amotekun Board of Governance, Chairman by General (rted) Kunle Togun? Was the “juju” considered for the Board Sectary Barr Akinbode Iyabode Enitan for her appointment as the Oyo State Amotekun Board Secretary and as Legal Adviser to the Agency are you saying that you are using “juju” to defend and prosecute? Was the “juju” considered for Mr Tijani Adelani; Director of Admin and Supply, Mrs Adigun Yetunde; the Director of Finance and Account, Pastor Adedeji Olusoji; the Director of Planning and Strategic, Mrs Ayoola; Media to the Amotekun Board of Governance, who are seconded to set professional administration in the Oyo State Security Network Agency and Amotekun Corps affairs? Above all, how many cases have the Oyo State Amotekun corps traced/tracked down with power of ‘juju” and could such cases be trialed in the Court of competent jurisdiction in present of Judge or Magistrate? The integral part of what you all possessed to arrive where you are today is nothing but Academic qualification, which makes you all to have all those appellation attached to your names, and this academic qualification, you are all, under greediness and wickedness depriving the Oyo State Amotekun corps.

Nearly 673 days that the Oyo State Amotekun corps commenced active and meritorious service of securing lives and properties of the Oyo State citizens, the Amotekun’s Corps Commandant has never deem it fit to visit or tour each Local Government offices for inspection and neither is there any team of supervisors to tour each of the 33 Local Government offices. It is also the ill-administration operating in the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) requesting and mandating all Oyo State Amotekun Corps to take patrol van to Ibadan for services without considering the cost implication and risk of lives entail for Local Government offices in Ogbomoso, Ibarapa and Oke-Ogun axis. Instead of the Oyo State Security Network Agency to work on establishing zones as contain in section 17 (1-2) of the Oyo State Security Network Agency Law, 2020, or Administrative offices (decentralization) where some needs of the Oyo State Amotekun officers / operatives could be attended base on directive from the State headquarters, the poor administrative style of the Oyo State Security Network Agency operates on centralization.

The Oyo State Amotekun operatives, under this unprofessional administrator are damped with frustrations and threatening from the Oyo State Amotekun Commandant; Col (Rted) Olayinka Olayanju whose cognate experience as a retired Colonel in Nigerian Army is being negatively influence by Odua People’s Congress (OPC) interest. It is OPC members interest in the Oyo State Security Network Agency that is paramount in Colonel Olayinka Olayanju and his 2ic Akinro to sale the idea of  “…you are not recruited with academic qualifications (…a f’iwe gba yin) to the Oyo State Security Network Agency Board of Governance is standing on to deprive the Oyo State Amotekun operatives the professional structure existing in the Military and para-military and voluntary organization, even in Odua People’s Congress (OPC) all members are not equal. Odua People’s Congress (OPC) as voluntary and socio-cultural group is operating professional ranking structure. How much more a State own Security outfit. 

It is frustration and risk of live of the Oyo State Amotekun operative on several occasions when the State Commandant ordered all the 33 Local Government in the State to totally shut down their respective offices and come down to the State headquarters in Ibadan, without considering enemies invasion and security challenges that may arise during this period of total closure of Oyo State Local Government Amotekun’s offices. Even distance of remote Local Government headquarters like Ogbomoso, Ibarapa and Oke- Ogun area within the State are not considered.

The Oyo State Government on its part failed to constitute, according to the Oyo State Security Network Agency Law, 2020 section 23, the Oyo State Independent Amotekun Corps Complaints Committee whose function in the Oyo State Security Network Agency Law, 2020 is of great significant to check the excessiveness of all components in the Oyo State Security Network Agency and the Amotekun Corps. If this Committee should be inaugurate in Oyo State, the Oyo State Security Network Agency and Amotekun Corps administration shall be improved.

In conclusion, I beseech the office of the Head of Civil Service Commission of Oyo State to kindly take over the administration of the Oyo State Security Network Agency and Amotekun Corps, this recommendation is in line with the Oyo State Security Network Agency and Amotekun Corps Law, 2020, section 39 (3) which stated thus: “Until such regulations are made, extant regulations applicable in the 

Civil Service of the State shall continue to apply to the officers and operatives of the Agency.”

So as to redeem and plan properly on strategies to put in place in order to make Oyo State an enviable State of pace-setter, also in terms of Security Architecture.