By Bimbo Ogunnaike
The Oodua Youth Coalition(OYC) has stated that the declaration of Federal Government that ‘Operation Amotekun’, the South West newly inaugurated security outfit as illegal is as an attempt to subject the Yoruba nation to further attacks by bandits and kidnappers.
OYC, in a statement issued on Wednesday and made available to newsmen, noted that with what is currently going on in the northern part of the country, particularly in the North-East zone, the Yorubas will not allow the South West to degenerate into such terror status.
While stating that the laudable effort of the South West Governors in finding solution to the rampaging menace of bandits and kidnappers in the region is irreversible, the group in the statement signed by its National President, Oluyi Akintade Tayo and Oluwagbenga Ajongbolo, the National Publicity Secretary emphasized that all will be done to ensure that ‘Operation Amotekun’ achieved its purpose.
“Oodua Youth Coalition (OYC), a foremost Yoruba youth gathering working to protect, preserve, promote and project the interest of Omoluabi and the norms, culture, dignities, and values of the land, hereby rejects in its entirety the illegal tag placed on the Western Security Network, codenamed ‘Operation Amotekun’ by the Federal government of Nigeria through the Attorney General, Abubakar Malami. We won’t wait till insurgents, kidnappers, highway robbers, ritualists, armed bandits, and other criminals run over us and turn us into refugees in our own land,” the statement said.
“How the Federal Government is very comfortable and unconcerned about the unending crisis in the Northern part of Nigeria remain a mystery and puzzle no one is ready to solve.
“Between 2019 and now, the FG through budgetary allocations and other means has committed over #90billion Nigerian taxpayers funds for the establishment and running of the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC) created to see an end to the economic, social and political ruins the region has been subjected in the hands of Boko Haram, armed bandits, and kidnappers rampaging in those areas,” the group added.
“According to reports, over 70,000 Nigerians have been killed since 2010 and over 5million displaced and turned to residents of IDP camps scattered across the region. Just days ago, over a dozen soldiers were killed by insurgents with more maimed and injured. While these criminals come for innocent blood, those of our soldiers are not spared.
“Today, lack of access to basic health, water and sanitation, education and even climate action have hampered the progress of the fight against them.
“Is this what Malami or Buhari want? A Yorubaland run over by terrorists? Ondo under Boko Haram? Ekiti praying not to have armed bandits travel through? Oyo where kidnappers hold supreme?
“Operation Amotekun has come to stay in our land. We will do everything to support these brave governors as they work tirelessly to see to a more secure Southwest people and states. We won’t wait till you allow these criminals turn our homes to refugee homes and our schools to IDP camps,”OYC said.
