Senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District in the 9th Assembly, Kola Balogun, has appealed to the Federal Government to license the South-West Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun, to bear arms.

He stated this on Monday while featuring on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme.

The senator, apparently made that request in reaction to the recent attack by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen at Igangan, in the Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.

WuzupNigeria had reported that about 15 people were killed by the gunmen who attacked Igangan around 11pm on Saturday and operated till 3am on Sunday. The assailants reportedly razed several houses in the community, including the palace of the Asigangan of Igangan land, Oba Adewuyi Olaoye.

Balogun said, “Amotekun is active and Amotekun is working even with the police. As a matter of fact, the situation would have been worse but for Amotekun and other local security outfits because from the report that I got, the people that came to invade had bigger plans than what happened.

“It was the community, the Amotekun, the local vigilantes that were mobilised in the middle of the night even though they were ambushed because they were not expecting them but they actually mitigated the effect of the damage.

“So, Amotekun is working and now the South-West governors said they have a joint patrol of Amotekun outfit across the entire South-West.

“Let me also say that I am aware that the Amotekun personnel have requested that the Inspector-General of Police grant them the license to be well-equipped. As we speak now, they are not as equipped as these invaders who are savages and who go on the rampage.

“I appeal to the IG and the police to grant them (Amotekun personnel) the license to be well-equipped as long as what they are doing is in support of what the police is doing.”