Amotekun is state police through the backdoor — Aremu alleges

Issa Aremu

A National Executive Council, NEC member of the Nigeria Labor Congress, NLC and Vice President of the Industrial Global Union, Comrade Issa Aremu, at the weekend condemned the action of South-West Governors over the launching of their own security outfit against the National constitution that made security issues an exclusive list.

Comrade Aremu spoke in Ilorin at the weekend on the sidelines of his birthday celebration, saying that the action is tantamount to decentralisation of police force through backdoor and its capable of causing National security crises if not properly addressed.



He said: “On Thursday, January 9, 2020, Governors of Nigeria’s 6 South-West States of Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo and Lagos, launched the western Nigeria security network called ‘Operation Amotekun’ in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo were present at the flag-off while Governors Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos and Dapo Abiodun of Ogun cited poor weather conditions as reason for their absence.

“The hope is that Operation Amotekun is not another state police without constitutional consideration and legitimacy in a Federation. Who can train and arm youths for security in Federation; Do they have power of intelligence gathering, arrest and prosecution; How does the Operation Amotekun relate with the existing Nigeria Police Force; Who pays and what are they paid.




“My suggestion is that both the Federal and state governments should have preventive approach to issues of security. There is a link between poverty, unemployment and rising crimes. It’s time state governments reinvented industries and create decent sustainable jobs instead of unnecessarily and uncritically arming the youths in the name of security.

“All states should key to the vision of President Buhari in creating 100 million jobs in 10 years. A million Federal and state police men will be overwhelmed by 80 million unemployed while 80 million fully employed youths would minimise crimes and make the jobs of police easier in maintaining security” he said.


He also called on Governments at all levels to adopt consensual gradualist approach to policy reforms instead of the current shock therapy approach.

He said the shock therapy approach tends to create more problems than providing solutions for good governance.