ONDO State governor Rotimi Akeredolu has appealed to the Federal Government to allow operatives of the Western Nigeria Security Corps, also known as Amotekun, to carry sophisticated weapons to protect the people.
Akeredolu made the appeal while commissioning some projects in Akure on Wednesday.
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The governor also made clarifications on his recent statement on the oil pipeline surveillance contract awarded to private individuals and organisations in the country.
He explained that his position was that Amotekun should be allowed to bear sophisticated arms like the non-state actors who were engaged to protect oil pipelines.
Decrying the precarious security situation in the country, Akeredolu vowed that he would continue to take the bull by the horn in protecting the people of the state.
“Most of the people and even some of my colleagues didn’t really understand my position on the oil pipeline surveillance contract,” he said.
“I have no issue with the Federal Government awarding surveillance contracts to anybody. It is Federal Government’s money. They can use it anyhow they want.
“Here, we are spending our money on Amotekun. And what I said in my statement titled ‘Who actually needs weapon?’ was that the Federal Government should allow Amotekun carry sophisticated weapons like those whom they awarded pipelines surveillance contract.
“If you can allow individuals to carry heavy arms to protect pipelines, why won’t you allow Amotekun to carry sophisticated weapons to protect the people? The oil facilities are not more important than the lives of the people,” he said.
Akeredolu disclosed that some arrests had been made in connection to the abduction of some burial guests in the Ifon area of the state on Saturday.
The governor also said the victims who had been released were scared to come and identify their abductors.
He lauded all the security agencies in the state, including the Amotekun, for their efforts in securing the release of kidnap victims.
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