Kunle Adelabu
The Permanent Vice Chairman, Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs and the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, His Royal Majesty, Oba (Engr.) Kabiru Adewale Shotobi, has stated that the failure of the Federal Government (FG) to accept community policing which, according to him, is part of the restructuring been clamour for by the Southern part of the country, is what necessitated the birth of ‘Amotekun’.
‘Amotekun’, a security outfit initiated and launched a few weeks ago by the governors of the six states in the Southwest part of the country, has been opposed by the FG and northern part of the country.
Oba Shotobi also stated that the FG has accepted Community Policing and had sent the Commissioner of Police in the State to start recruiting personnel.
The monarch made these statements during the visit call to his palace by members of the Ikorodu Division Youth Initiative Movement (IDYIM) and members of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ikorodu branch, on Thursday, February 6, 2020.
While Comrade Samson Bisiriyu, the Executive Director and member of the Ikorodu Division Youth Initiative Movement (IDYIM) Board of Trustees (BOT) led the IDYIM team, Mrs Gloria Cassius, Vice Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Ikorodu led Mrs Adero Fadahunsi led the NBA team.
The two groups are reportedly planning a security summit for the division later this month and had visited the Ayangbure of Ikorodu to intimate the palace on there plan.
“The insecurity that we are having now was caused by the Federal Government. We clamoured for Community Policing because it is the best way that we can secure our domains”, Oba Shotobi stated.
“If they had accepted the Community Policing concept initially, ‘Amotekun’ would not have emerged”, he added.
He recalled that he and other traditional rulers from the Southwest raised the issue that the FG need to accept Community Policing at a meeting with the President in Abuja.
“We have been telling them in Abuja that there is need for Community Policing before the emergence of ‘Amotekun’ but they seemed not to be listening.
“We tackled Badoo menace that disturbed us years back locally. Local policing is the answer to the insecurity across the nation”, Oba Shotobi stated.
“The latest information that I have for you is the acceptance of Community Policing by the Federal Government. They have assented to it and in Lagos State, they have sent the Commissioner of Police to start recruiting and those that they are going to recruit must be from each division”, the royal father revealed.
“The Commissioner of Police told us last Wednesday that they have started recruiting personnel. We were told that those that will be recruited must be indigenes of the divisions of the State.
“Right now, those that will be recruited must be from this division – whether from Imota, Ijede, Igbogbo and others parts. You must get letter of indigeneship.
“This is the situation presently except they stated otherwise tomorrow”, Oba Shotobi stated.
“If you have the opportunity of talking to them (cultists) encourage them to leave cultism and embrace these new opportunities to have economic empowerment”, Kabiyesi charged representatives of the NBA and IDYIM.
“These are opportunities for our youths to take advantage of ”, Oba Shotobi added.
