The Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu has kicked against a statement by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Research and Planning, Adeleye Oyebade, that governors would pay for implementation of the community policing.
He also vowed to block any attempt to subsume the Ondo State Security Network popularly known as Amotekun under community policing policy of the Nigeria Police Force.
Recall that the South-West states had launched Amotekun on January 9, while the state government inaugurated it last month.
Before the launch, the governors of the states had clamoured for a localised police system to tackle peculiar challenges.
But the Federal Government recently earmarked N13.3 billion for the takeoff of the community policing policy, and Oyebade noted that all other security arrangements would come under the policy in no time.
Oyebade’s said, “I am going to tell you straight away. By the time the community policing strategy and implementation come fully into operation, everybody will follow suit. Everybody will join us and follow what we are preaching and what we practice.”
Reacting, Akeredolu said, “It will never be accepted, it is not our thinking. We have a law that sets this up. If the DIG feels otherwise, there is always a place for us to ventilate it. We are not afraid of this. The law says Amotekun will operate under its own law; it is not going to be subsumed under any setup. No.
“We will not collapse Amotekun for community policing. It will stand on its own. There is no intimidation. We are not people that can be intimidated (or) that the IG will give orders to. We will not. Amotekun is different. Community policing is different. If the IG does not understand, he will leave one day and other people will understand.
Read Also: “Your body is a crime scene; preserve it” – Police spokesman tells sexual assault victims
“We will work together, it is collaboration, not that it will be subsumed. The law is there and if anybody finds a fault in that law, we can go to court and ventilate whatever position in it. The DIG is totally wrong, Amotekun will not be subsumed under the community policing.”
Leave a Reply