David Williams
Brig. Gen. Ebenezer Ogundana (Rtd.), the Special Adviser to Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State on Security Matters, has explained why the state government is investing into the state’s local security network.
Ogundana said that the recruitment of no fewer than 500 personnel into the Amotekun, Anti-Grazing and Agro-Marshal Corps will address security challenges effectively at the grassroots level.
Speaking on Monday during the commencement of the three-week training exercise at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Ise/Orun-Emure, the Special Adviser disclosed that the newly recruited local security personnel would be trained on modern security techniques and the rule of law to protect lives and property at the community level.
According to him, “the state government has made a lot of investment in them and we will make sure that the investment yields result. The priority of the government is the security of lives and property. We believe that by the time they are out, it will change the tempo of security in Ekiti State because they will be coming out with action to put whatever training they have received into practice.”
He explained further that the newly recruited security personnel would be deployed to their local governments of origin to tackle rural crime and improve security in the forest and farms.
“The issue of security is changing on a daily basis; we are following the trends of events and we need people who will develop capacity, confidence and discipline that would make them to withstand the pressure they are likely to face when they are deployed into the forest or farms.”
The Public Sensitisation Officer from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ekiti State Command, Oleni Ezekiel, commended the state government for incorporating a comprehensive lecture against drug abuse as part of their training modules.
He noted that the new recruits are expected to join the agency in the fight against drug abuse saying that “all hands must be on deck to fight against the scourge of substance use and to make Ekiti State a drug-free state.”
