By Lekan Adejuwon
This appears a troubling time for the Western Nigeria Security Network Amotekun, Ekiti State chapter which is allegedly been marred by internal crisis.
The crisis, it was gathered, has lingered for some time and has negatively hindered the smooth running of the security outfit in crime fighting in the state even as Governor Biodun Oyebanji has been urged to arrest the ugly situation.
Multiple but reliable inside sources revealed exclusively to EKITI STANDARD that various allegations against the organization had been in the media space for some time now, but the proof of veracity of claims as demanded by journalism profession may have whittled down the urge to push it out to members of the public.
However, our investigative team who recently beamed our searchlight on the operations of Amotekun in the state revealed that all is not well with the organization as aggrieved members of the embattled security outfit opened up to the paper.
Our findings revealed that low morale, poor welfare and administrative ineptitude, had been the bane of the Amotekun operatives in the state. This, it was gathered has negatively impacted on the zeal, dedication and commitment deployed by members at inception which had simmered down considerably.
For instance, two weeks ago, a bloody clash ensued between a section of Hausa community and Amotekun in Atikankan area where at least four members of the Amotekun operatives sustained life threatening injuries by their attackers who were better armed and equipped.
It took the timely intervention of the RRS, the regular police and other security agencies in the state that prevented what could have been a bloodshed in the city centre. That particular incident, actually exposed the low morale and limited capacity of the operatives to combat crime during critical operations.
Also, sometimes ago, one of the local government commanders precisely from Gboyin Local Government, Chief Johnson Ogunyemi raised an alarm over what he described as his “unjust” removal by the Commandant of the corps, Brigadier-General Joe Komolafe.
In a petition submitted to Ekiti State House of Assembly, the embattled retired Vice Principal opened the Pandora box of many scandals rocking the outfit while he took his sacking in its stride.
In an interview with our correspondent, the aggrieved former Amotekun Commander decried the manner of his removal as disgraceful.
His words; “The Commandant just woke up one day, called some of the operatives working under me and asked them to vote and the next thing I heard was that I should quit simply because I was accused of not bringing cows to the headquarters and I refused because I was not trained for such nefarious act. My petition is before the immediate past governor and all the relevant authorities in the state but no action has been taken’.
“He now picked a very junior officer under me to lead the Amotekun in Gbonyin. As I speak, there are pockets of uneasiness in the town over the matter because Amotekun does not exist even at the state level when you compared with what Amotekun is doing in nearby Ondo State”
A copy of the petition which was made available to our correspondent also went viral in the social media and equally submitted at the state House of Assembly.
Some of the operatives who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity complained that they have lost a considerable number of their members as a result of death, frustration and search for better jobs and no fresh recruitment has been made, a development which they said, has made their job most challenging.
“There is nothing you heard about Amotekun that is not true” Said one of the operatives.
He lamented that many capable hands had left the security outfit which had gravely depleted their ranks and made their job less attractive. “I want Mr Governor who has a listening ear to quickly wade into this matter and sanitize the place”. He said.
In furtherance of their discontentment and anger at the system where they operate, a group under the aegis of Ekiti State Amotekun Group of Commanders wrote two separate letters which they jointly signed and addressed to the governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji to intervene in the affairs of the corps saying that Ekiti Amotekun has become redundant and helpless in the areas of “manpower, logistics and welfare’
The letter reads: “In the area of manpower, the corps has lost more than 35 per cent of its personnel either through death, voluntary resignation and those who decide to leave the corps for greener pastures, we are appealing to our listening governor to please recruit more personnel to the corps in order to improve efficiency and operational performance”
In a related development, the aggrieved commanders lamented the bad state of their operational vehicles which they described as ‘partially off road’ saying; “Our operational vehicles are partially off road because of lack of maintenance as tyres, battery are bad as there is need for urgent replacement and servicing of the vehicles which were serviced last once in 2022. Ikole1
Similar appeal was made to Ekiti Council of Traditional Rulers to push their grievances before the government. It was gathered that the council had been diplomatic over the matter because they were largely sidelined during the recruitment exercise as many operatives were said to have been recruited without their involvement.
Meanwhile, the man at the centre of the storm Brigadier Komolafe debunked claims of any wrong doing on his part saying that despite the campaigns of calumny, lies and rumours against him, he remained focused and determined to secure Ekiti in collaboration with other security operatives in the state reeling out many celebrated cases of arrest and prosecution of criminal elements performed by his operatives.
He added that he is not new to the shenanigans of the people who were hell bent on seeing him removed as the corps commandant noting that he took the job as a service to the people of Ekiti because as a retired military personnel, he is comfortable with what God has done for him.
However the Chairman of the dissolved Amotekun corps Chief Aregbesola told our correspondent that he left the board about a year ago as the chairman and may not be in position to respond to questions about the outfit after he left the board with his integrity intact.
