Amotekun: We’re ready to Collaborate, Says Oyo Peace Corps Commandant

By Ayo Kehinde
Patriot Lukman delivering his paper at the public hearing on the proposed bill on Amotekun
The Oyo State Commandant of Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) ,Patriot Yekini Adelowo Lukman, has reiterated the readiness of the state Command of the agency to collaborate with the Southwest Security Network codenamed ”Operation Amotekun”.
Patriot Yekini stated this on Monday  during his  presentation at the public hearing on a bill seeking to establish Oyo State Security Network Agency and Amotekun Corps organized by the Oyo State House of Assembly at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan.
At the public hearing tagged:”A Bill for A Law to  Establish the Oyo State Security Network Agency and Amotekun Corps to assist in Maintaining Law and Order in Oyo State and For Other Matters Connected Therewith”, the state Commandant emphasized that the mandate of Peace Corps which to eradicate crimes and criminalities is in line with the Amotekun philosophy.
The security chief maintained that his officers and men are in the best position to collaborate with Amotekun Corps in order to achieve its noble objective.
The Commandant said:”The Corps focuses on eradicating social vices like Cultism, Drug abuse, examination malpractise etc, in schools among the youths. This is the foundation of any criminal activities. If these vices are nipped in the bud, our communities will become secured and the youth will become productive and functional adults.
“It is against this backdrop that Peace Corps of Nigeria has made it as one of its mandates to ensure that youths are meaningfully and productively engaged. A productively engaged youth will add value to himself,his community and would not take arms against the nation because he or she knows that he or she has a stake in the project.
“While lauding the promoters of this project, I make bold to say that the Amotekun Corps would not have come at a better time than now. It is gratifying to state that the mandates  of Peace Corps of Nigeria are in synergy with the Amotekun philosophy. Hence, the Corps is ready to collaborate with Amotekun in order to secure our dear state.
“To properly secure an environment, the need for community policing is imperative.
“Using the locals to provide security for the community is the best way to go.  As a result of our understanding of the terrain, we are using this medium to state our avowed support for the formation of this agency.
“Our officers and men are in the nooks and crannies of the state across all the 33  local government areas, providing security to government agencies and departments.
“With this Amotekun project,we will redouble our efforts in order to sustain the tempo. Ours will be to complement the efforts of other stakeholders in the Amotekun project.
“Concluding, I wish to reiterate that the youth are very pivotal to the success of any security outfit. Peace Corps of Nigeria is a veritable platform to achieve this.
“The youths are ready to secure our dear state. Engage them in this laudable initiative, Amotekun Corps”.
Various organizations also made presentations at the public hearing.
Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly , Adebo Ogundoyin who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Mohammed Fadeyi said:”I want to urge participants to make judicious use of this opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the process of having practicable and enforceable people-oriented law on Oyo State Security Network Agency which will assist in curbing crime and criminality in our society.