Why Amotekun can’t move with firearms, says ex-IG Ehindero

A  former Inspector General of Police, Sunday Ehindero, has cautioned operatives of the South-West Security Network, codenamed Amotekun against carrying fire arms.

Ehindero spoke on Monday at the Community Policing Sensitisation and Awareness Campaign held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

He said it was unconstitutional for either Amotekun corps or special constables trained for community policing to carry fire arms.

He advised them to strictly adhere to the country’s constitution that forbade them from bearing fire-arm in the course of their operations.

Ehindero said the Amotekun was supposed to be an information and intelligence gathering outfit rather than an arm carrying one.

The former IGP advised that the corps should key into community policing and work in synergy with the Special Constables and the Police Force in order to combat insecurity at the grass roots.

Ehindero, who headed the force from 2005 to 2007, said men of Amotekun should not be hasty to bear arms, appealing to them to exercise patience until the constitution was amended.

Ehindero said, “They are not allowed by the law to carry fire arms. They should key into community policing and give their own information. When Amotekun is launched, they will collaborate and cooperate with the police and they will bring intelligence.”

In his remark, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone II, Ahmed Iliayasu, argued that crime and criminalities could better be fought and won when the police rest their ability to gain community support than use of force and lethal.

The State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, in his address, reiterated that the Amotekun Corps would commence operation soon.