Determined to make Oyo State safe for local and foreign investors, Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde said criminal elements should excuse themselves from Oyo State and the Southwest geopolitical zone.
Speaking while signing the Oyo State Security Network code-named Amotekun Corps Bill 2020, into law at the Executive Council Chambers of the Governor’s Office, Ibadan, Makinde noted that the Amotekun Law was a product of effective planning, strategising, engagement and alignments among the six states of the South-West geopolitical zone.
He called on investors to come to Oyo State, while saying his administration would provide a safe environment for them.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted him as saying that Amotekun was not created to replace the existing federal security system.
It would be recalled that the Oyo State House of Assembly passed the Bill into the law on Tuesday, March 3, 2020.
Makinde further said: “Today is 10th of March 2020 and history has just been made because Amotekun Law is in force in Oyo State. It has been a long and torturous journey.
“Let me also add that this is not a replacement for the traditional security agencies. We saw that there are existing gaps in the funding and even in the number of personnel employed but we have to secure our people. This is meant to complement the effort of federal security agencies.”
He commended the security agencies in the state and the State House of Assembly for the tremendous work they are doing.
He said: “What we are saying is, let us join hands to have a secure environment. We want to give assurance to our investors.
“I was in Florida last week for business engagements and the responses have been great and this is one of the things I promised them at that event.
“I told them to come because we know investors’ money avoid places that are not safe – it runs away.
“It is also a time to tell the criminally-minded ones to stay away from Oyo State. They should stay away from the South-West geopolitical zone of Nigeria because if they don’t, Amotekun will get them.
“I want to also thank the security agencies for the work they are doing. We know they are stretched to the limit and we have challenges in the North-East but we still need to create a safe and secure environment at the state and local government levels so that our people can go about their lawful businesses.
“The concept, first meeting, and engagement on Amotekun started as far back as July 2019, and we are just signing this into law today. So, in reality, change doesn’t happen overnight. You have to plan, engage, seek alignment and finally execute.
“This is what has just happened here. We started with engagement with all the governors of the South-West geopolitical zone of Nigeria. After this, we got the alignment that we have to secure our people.”
The governor used the occasion to warn opposition elements and naysayers in the state, whom he said have been criticizing his government unnecessarily to have a rethink.
He stated that some critics went on air to say that he does not have a manifesto to work with, adding that it was a wrong assertion to make because he launched a 102-page document that promised accelerated development for Oyo State ahead of the 2019 election.
According to him, his government has been diligently following the promise of accelerated development since its inauguration.
“We came in with a proposal to the people of Oyo State. We promised them accelerated development.
It is a 102-page document; it is still there and we are following through on those ideas we espoused in the document.
But they want people to believe that we don’t have a clue. We don’t have to join issues with them, because we know what we are doing.
“But I am an engineer and when you see an engineer digging in front of your house, he already has the concept of what is going to come out with from there. As a matter of fact, what is coming through already exists in his mind and on paper.
“Yes, they [previous administration] took Oyo State through quick fixes in eight years and that is why, within eight to nine months, some of the infrastructure they claimed they have done have fallen apart.
So, we are carefully doing the planning and we will deliver to the people of Oyo State projects that will outlast this administration.”
