EndSARS: Oyo Employs Personnel For Amotekun Security Outfit.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has approved the immediate recruitment of 1,500 personnel to kick-start the Amotekun Security Outfit, as a result of the prevailing unrest in the State.

The Governor made the disclosure on Tuesday, during a meeting with representatives of EndSARS protesters, artisans, commercial cab and motorcycle operators and youths across the State, held at the House of Chiefs, Oyo State Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

He said the newly employed Amotekun Security Outfit personnel would start their training on the 1st and pass out on the 15th of November, 2020, while assuring that the Police would soon return to the streets of the State to maintain law and order because the absence of law enforcement officers is a movement towards anarchy.

Makinde said, “I give you the assurance that you will see an Amotekun operative in all the 351 wards in the State. They will work hand-in-hand with the police authority but they will also report to me directly. And I will take responsibility for their actions. So, I want you to support our traditional rulers and let the people know that both the police and the people will have to come together, work together and build a better society together.”

He noted that no fewer than 46 people have registered their complaints on the platform created by the government for people across the State to report incidences of police violations and brutality, barely nine days after it was opened, encouraging others to follow suit as, according to him, the complaints would serve as materials for the Judicial Panel of Enquiries to work with, as soon as it is set up.

The Governor appealed for the cooperation of the #EndSARS protesters in protecting the State, saying that representatives of the various groups present at the meeting would be part of the members of the State Judicial Panel of Enquiry so they could take ownership, monitor the promises being rolled out by the government and know those who are compensated.

He stated, “We need you the artisans, the okada(motorcycle)riders, micra (taxi) operatives, the youths and even the EndSARS protesters. We all have to come together and protect our State. I called this meeting to also seek your buy-ins, you have to take ownership of the policies that we are rolling out, and to also make you a part of that process.”

In their separate remarks, the conveners of the #EndSARS protest in Oyo State, Comrade Olusegun Akeju and Comrade Adebobola Agbeja, highlighted their agitations, including the release of all #EndSARS protesters arrested, saying they would not back down on their peaceful agitations until the government engaged the youth through direct or indirect labour.

The Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, and other lawmakers at the meeting, appealed to the youths to give peace a chance and cooperate with the State government on the newly rolled out youth empowerment programmes.