Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun has dismissed claims that the South West Security Network codenamed Operation Amotekun has any religious colouration.
In a press statement on Wednesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Ismail Omipidan, Governor Oyetola contended that kidnapping, rape and armed banditry have no religion.
“The raging debate over the launch of the South West Security Network otherwise known as Amotekun is no doubt healthy and a welcome development,” the statement said.
“But to politicise it on the altar of religion and ethnicity will be unhealthy, dangerous and counter-productive.
“Amotekun is a collective response by the South West region to the spate of armed banditry, rape, kidnapping, and other violent crimes that suddenly became a past time in the South West.
“To therefore claim that it is an agenda against a particular faith or adherents of a particular religion is not only preposterous, but also in bad taste.
“Kidnapping, Rape and Armed Banditry have no religion and know no tribe or ethnicity.
“For the records, no recruitment has been carried out so far, especially in our dear State of Osun.
“So, rather than constitute ourselves into opposing a project we all clamoured for in response to existential threats for which some of the governors in the region have been called out and vilified in the past, we should rally support for Amotekun by coming up with strategies to fine-tune it with a view to bridging any communication gap between the Federal Government and the South West Governors over it.
“Section 14 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) is clear that the security of life and property of citizens as well as their welfare is the primary purpose and responsibility of government, be it state or federal.
“The State of Osun is committed to protecting its citizens; and every reasonable and responsible Osun indigene must join our collective resolve as a government to protect our citizens and their property”.
