By Oso Abidemi
Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has urged governors of the South-West to capitalize on the recent recognition of the Amotekun Corps by the United Nations to strengthen and fully equip the regional security outfit.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jare Ajayi, Afenifere described the UN’s recognition of Amotekun as a significant endorsement that should motivate greater support and investment from the region’s political leadership.
“The recognition of Amotekun by the United Nations is unprecedented in this part of the globe,” the statement read. “Its invitation to international meetings on security and human rights is a morale booster. It confirms the vision behind its creation and validates the efforts of those who have sustained it.”
The UN formally acknowledged the Amotekun Corps on July 7 by dedicating the date as Amotekun Day and presenting a certificate of affiliation to the Commandant of the Ondo State Corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye.
The announcement was made by Ambassador Peer Stafsen, President of the World Peace body, during a ceremony in Akure.
Afenifere noted that this recognition should prompt the South-West governors to provide the corps with the necessary logistics, training, and funding needed to enhance its performance in combating insecurity in the region.
The group also emphasized the need for urgent action toward establishing state police, which it says would further strengthen internal security mechanisms.
Meanwhile, in Lagos, the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, also called on the federal government to provide better resources and welfare for Nigeria’s security agencies.
Hosting the leadership of the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), led by Dr. Elizabeth Egbetokun, the monarch stressed the importance of logistics and community support in crime prevention.
Oba Akiolu urged Nigerians to support security agencies by adopting the “see something, say something” approach and emphasized the role of family values in national development.
The POWA president, Dr. Egbetokun, was in the palace to thank the monarch for his support during the association’s just-concluded national conference in Lagos.
