The Ogun State House of Assembly on Monday held a public hearing on the proposed Ogun State Security Network Agency Law, 2020, with stakeholders canvassing for inclusion of security measures against slavery, human trafficking, kidnapping, banditry, invasion of farmlands and the need to ensure human rights protection and intelligence gathering as parts of the responsibilities of the Corps upon its take off.
This was the aggregation of views of stakeholders including the representatives of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ogun State Chapter, Barr. Kayode Adeyemi, the State Muslim Council, Alhaji Kamaldeen Akintunde, Association of Nigerian Authors, Paul Oni, Chairman, State Coalition of Civil Societies, Yinka Folarin, Yoruba World Congress, Otunba Sade Olukoya, Association of Hunters in Ogun, Chief Olusegun Bamgbose and the Institute of Emergency Management, Mr Badero Adedamola who took turns to lend their voice in support of the bill at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta .
Others including representatives of Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Community Development Associations (CDAs), Ogu Speaking People in the State, Justice Development and Peace Movement , Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) , National Youth Council of Nigeria, Peace Corps and Vigilante Group of Nigeria amongst others.
They all commended the initiative of the Governors in the South West at establishing the Corps in response to challenges of insecurity in the region, positing that when operational, the Amotekun Corps should strengthen ties with other security agencies with a view to strengthening security in the region.
They pointed out the need to avoid unnecessary friction and overlapping function, stressing that the Corps should be devoid of political interference with proper funding to enable them function effectively.
He reiterated the determination of the State lawmakers to stay awake for four days working on the Amotekun Bill to perfect and pass it into law within the envisaged time, positing that the essence of the meeting was to "take" the inputs of all stakeholders and incorporate same into the Bill to make it operational.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Speaker, Rt Hon Olakunle Oluomo, assured that the bill when passed by the Assembly and eventually signed into law by the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, would be translated into indigenous language for easy understanding by all and sundry.
Oluomo noted that the bill was meant to protect the overall wellbeing of residents and investors in the State, emphasising that intelligence gathering remained the fulcrum of any effective security management, just as he assured that the Assembly would harness all the inputs of the stakeholders into the bill and ensure its accelerated passage.
In his submission, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Gbolahan Adeniran, lauded the stakeholders for their robust contributions during the public hearing, while saying that community participation was essential in achieving effective community policing system.
In his remarks, the Head, Human Rights Department of the Justice, Development and Peace Movement of the Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta, Mr Niyi Rotimi expressed his displeasure over the absence of farmer group at the public hearing, saying the farmers group who are often the victims of the insecurity in the bush and forest declined to show up.
In the memoranda submitted to the Ogun Assembly on behalf of JDPM, Rotimi called for an adequate insurance cover for Amotekun Corps members, adequate compensation in the event of death or loss of vital part of the body, adequate training on intelligence gathering as well as training in martial arts and takwando to help Corps members in self defence in the event of face - to - face encounter with difficult crime suspects.
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