As it is being said by the Nigeria police force, security is every body’s business.
All over the world, security consumes the largest chunk of various countries budget. United States of America budgets trillions of dollars on budget every year. Likewise other European countries.
In fact, Egypt, considered as the country with largest military budget in Africa, budgets about 800billion dollars annually.
Nigeria ,on her part is considered as one the low spending nation in the world, but 4th in Africa.
However, with the high volume of cash spent on security by Nigeria, it is not yet uhuru security wise. Cases of kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, arm robbery, cultism and all form of social vices reigns supreme in the country.
Until now, kogi state was one of the flash point of crime in the country. Basically, it’s as a result of the multiplicity of the bordering towns and state which make her a gate way states to many state of the nation. Criminals run to the state from other places to take cover after committing havoc in other places.
Cases of broad daylight robbery were normal incidence in kogi state until now, like wise kidnapping. In fact, cases of Boko Haram attacks were recorded in kogi state.
However, Alh Yahaya Bello, upon resumption as the governor of kogi state confronted these vices head-on. Himself being a victim of kidnapping before becoming a governor, when his mother was once kidnapped, knew the pain of such absurdity.
He established the state vigilante Corp which were basically formed to compliment the conventional security forces. They were trained in intelligence gathering and surveillance. Being conversant with their local terrain, they were to guide the security forces in locating hide out and locations 0f the criminals. They were not allowed to carry arms, but the hunters in their midst are allowed to carry their Dane gun.
These concepts have helped Cobb tremendously the excesses of this criminals and in some areas, restraints their activities.
Kogi state is now a safe place. Robbers have since relocated, while cases of kidnapping had reduced tremendously.
These rare concept was politically criticize initially by people who thought it was a means to developed a gang of thugs for election purpose. However, it is now regarded as one of the best policy formulated by gov. Bello. Indeed, he has won many Awards with that concept as the best governor on security.
Amotekun, is a bye point of the success story recorded by GYB which other governors, particularly the south west governors of Nigeria has keyed into.
It must be allowed to function if indeed security is every body’s business. Nigeria police force cannot do it alone, even the Nigerian Army has to engage the local hunters in its fight against Boko Haram in the north east called, the civilian JTF.
Even in Europe and American, they have the sheriffs, who compliment the regular forces.
Governor yahaya bello, the master in the game of security provision, must be proactive by tightening up loose ends aimed at blocking the anticipated relocation of these criminals who will flee the South West as a result of the operation of AMOTEKUN. They must find kogi state red hot for them to attempt moving to.
The kogi vigilante organisation must be actively involved in patrols as recently done at the bordering towns of kotonkarfe and Abaji when kidnappers terrorising lokoja – Abuja road were apprehended.
In all these let AMOTEKUN stay , to indeed make security to be every body’s business.
oloke Jesse Abayomi writes from Mopa in mopamuro LGA.