The Speakers of Houses of Assembly in the South West Zone have pledged to provide legislative support for Amotekun, the security initiative conceived by governors in the region.
The Speakers made the pledge in a communique issued on Friday by the Chairman, Conference of Speakers of South West States Legislature, Mr. Bamidele Oleyelogun.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the communique was issued at the end of a one-day security summit of the speakers.
NAN reports that the summit had as theme, “The imperative of Western Nigerian Security Network (Operation Amotekun): Legislative Support for the Initiative.”
The speakers, according to the communique, expressed support for Amotekun, saying it would go a long way in curbing the worrisome security problems facing the region
“The establishment of the security outfit in the South West is in tandem with the constitution, which makes the protection of lives and properties a matter of priority for any responsible government.
“Operation Amotekun is a welcome development, especially in the spirit of existing community policing laws in the southwest states.
“We have collectively resolved that the issue of security as it is in the region especially, and the country as a whole, can no longer continue to be handled with kids glove.
” As legislators, we must do our bit to complement the efforts of our governors through legislation that will give legal strength to the security forces,” Oleyelogun said.
Mr. Adebo Ogundoyin (Oyo State), Mr. Funminiyi Afuye(Ekiti), Mr. Bamidele Oleyelogun(Ondo), Taiwo Oluomo(Ogun), Mr. Timothy Owoeye(Osun) and Mr. Mudashiru Obasa (Lagos) attended the speakers’ conference.
