Bisi Oladele, Southwest Bureau Chief
The much-awaited regional security outfit code-named Amotekun Corps may have been indirectly launched in Osun State, as the red vehicles of the corps have hit the road for enforcement of the lockdown imposed on the state to contain the spread of Coronavirus.
From borders to high streets and the hinterland, the red vehicles in their unique brand image have hit the road for enforcement, arresting motorcycles and their riders that are violating the lockdown order by the state government.
Although it is coming out for the first time to enforce law, its original vision, which is community policing, is also finding expression in that the vehicles are known to be property of the state government, conveying the impression that a local Sheriff is now in town with the capacity to comb all nooks and crannies of the state for violators or criminals who will deride the law of the land.
In a way, this outing will drive the penetration of the corps into the consciousness of residents, who will always remember that the red vehicles, once in sight, is a symbol of law enforcement and security on the one hand and real danger for criminals on the other. For the latter, it is a sight to dread.
Besides being a welcome decision in maximising usage of government resources, the use of the red vehicles this time also prepares the ground for their official launch later in the year. The outbreak of COVID-19 stagnated the process of recruiting into the corps in Osun State. The process had been scheduled to start at the local government level where interested persons would apply to enable community leaders identify those that had good reputation and were very familiar with local terrains.
When asked for the reason behind the deployment of the red vehicles, Governor Gboyega Oyetola said that it was necessitated by the need to be aggressive in enforcing the lockdown imposed on the state and using available resources to achieve a similar purpose.
Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Ismail Omipidan, the governor said: “We have signed Amotekun bill into law. It should have taken off but for the emergency we have at hand. Once a bill is signed into law, it has become operational.
Read Also: Osun, Ekiti, Ondo begin recruitment for Amotekun corps
“We just realised that to contain the spread of COVID-19, we need to be aggressive. And we cannot have a tool at hand and be looking for another; hence we deployed the vehicles appropriately.”
Asked how residents have been responding to the use of the vehicles, Omipidan said they have been cooperating very well, adding that there have not been skirmishes since the task force deployed the vehicles for enforcement of COVID-19 lockdown.
He said the vehicles and their users have been well respected.
“The essence is to ensure that foreigners do not enter Osun State illegally and disobey the lockdown order. It is also to enforce the order within our towns and communities. This is why you will sight them at borders and inside towns. This lockdown is also for security and economic reasons. We are out to safeguard the lives of our people,” Omipidan said.
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