In a significant move to fortify its security infrastructure, particularly at the grassroots level, the Ekiti State government has recruited an additional 404 personnel into its State Security Network Agency (Amotekun), alongside the Agro-Marshal and Anti-grazing corps.
Governor Biodun Oyebanji highlighted the recruitment as a continuous investment in the state’s security architecture at the passing out parade for the new recruits held at the NYSC Orientation Camp ground in Ise Ekiti on Friday.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Brigadier General Ebenezer Ogundana, spoke on his behalf.
He underscored the Oyebanji administration’s steadfast commitment to ensuring the safety of residents and their property.
Ogundana explained that this initiative is designed to further strengthen Ekiti’s security framework by establishing supplementary informal security outfits that will foster community participation and enhance the efforts of formal security agencies.
He noted that the passing out ceremony marked a crucial step in the collective pursuit of a safer Ekiti, directly responding to a gubernatorial directive to address emerging security challenges within the state.
He attributed the prevailing peaceful atmosphere in Ekiti to deliberate planning, sustained investment, and concerted efforts aimed at creating a secure environment conducive for economic growth.
READ ALSO
This includes the protection of lives and property, safeguarding agricultural clusters to ensure food security, and improving intelligence gathering and sharing.
Congratulating the newly recruited operatives on successfully completing their rigorous three-week training, General Ogundana urged them to act with conscience and be prepared to account for their stewardship.
He assured the new personnel that the government had provided essential logistics, including vehicles and communication gadgets, to facilitate prompt responses to distress calls.
The retired General also extended appreciation to the Chief of Army Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, for authorising Nigerian Army officers to train the operatives, with support from other state security agencies.
He lauded the contributions of local government chairmen and traditional institutions, expressing confidence that the presence of the new operatives, strategically deployed across the state, would significantly enhance grassroots security.
Ogundana charged the new recruits to work collaboratively, discharge their duties with dignity, and prioritise the safety and security of citizens in their assigned areas, ensuring maximum coverage.
The Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) in Ekiti State, Ojo Oluwasegun, commended Oyebanji’s unparalleled investment in security, which he said has contributed to Ekiti being recognised as Nigeria’s safest state.
Echoing this sentiment, Adetuberu Oludotun, Director-General of the Homeland Intelligence Agency in the State, stated that the recruitment would positively impact communities and bolster the state’s capacity to confront current and future security threats.
This, he added, provides momentum for building a robust security apparatus aimed at combating crime and ensuring the safety of all Ekiti residents.
