Ondo State Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, said the newly launched security outfit codenamed, ‘Operation Amotekun’ in the south was to complement the efforts of the security agencies.
Akeredolu who is the Chairman of Southwest Govermors’ forum, said that Operation Amotekun is not regional army, stressing that it was not established to carry out unwholesome ethnic objectives which may undermine national cohesion.
He made this known in a statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Donald Ojogo.
The Governor warned people against making divisive statements that were capable of rubbishing the genuine intentions of South-West governors.
According to him, Amotekun, when fully operational, would serve the purposes of local information and intelligence gathering for processing and usage by the conventional security agencies.
He stressed further that Amotekun is supportive and not a replacement for the nation’s security agencies.
Akeredolu added “The concerns expressed by individuals, agencies of government and several stakeholders are noted without bias. Where possible, the inexorable efforts of the Southwest governors will be deepened through a relentless interface.
“As such, as interface and engagements continue, it is pertinent to say that the on-going discourse on the issue of Amotekun must not be misguided or used to ventilate personal or group views aimed at oiling primordial sentiments and grievances. Ethnicing the current situation is even more unhelpful. There should be no reason for such.
“This is more so that the Amotekun scheme is not targeted at any non-Southwest ethnic group just as its benefits are to be reaped by all Nigerians irrespective of ethnic or religious placements.”
The governor expressed confidence that the South West governors will not capitulate to blackmail either from within or outside the region.
He insisted that the governors were ready to pursue the Amotekun security scheme through all permissible political and legal means.
