The joint Southwest security outfit code named Amotekun was inaugurated in Oyo state today.

Amotekun according to the Governors is established to complement the efforts of the regular security agencies.

The need to create a complementary security outfit became an utmost priority for the governors of the six states that make up the Southwest zone of Nigeria following the worrisome security situation in the area.

It is established to tackle banditry, kidnappings, robbery in the region.

In the last few years, cases of kidnappings and robbery along major highways in the southwest are becoming increasingly higher, and any responsible government would be worried by this situation.

In Ondo State, for instance, the Akure-Owo highway and Akure-Ilesha highway, and other highways in Akoko area of the state have become hotbeds of kidnappings. A month hardly passes without reports of kidnappings on these roads.

The Ilesha-Ibadan highway has also become notorious for kidnapping and robbery.

The Ore-Sagamu expressway too is a hotbed of criminals. Recall that Funke Olakunrin, daughter of the leader of a pan-Yoruba group -Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti was shot dead on that road in July 2019.

While some of these atrocities have been blamed on herdsmen by locals living around these areas, police are always quick to describe the perpetrators as hoodlums, warning against the tribalisation of insecurity.

Locals have claimed that the suspected herdsmen have turned forests around the Southwest to their camp where they hatchet and mastermind all sorts of criminal activities.

The ordeal of some kidnap victims who have been fortunate to return home without losing their lives also corroborates these claims.

Many have claimed the death of Olakunrin prompted the six governors, Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Gboyega Oyetola (Osun), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), to have a discussion about the security situation in the region last year where they agreed to establish Amotekun, aimed at strengthening the security situation in the region.

Facts about Amotekun:

Let’s set aside all the controversies and reactions that have been trailing the newly launched security outfit and talk about Amotekun itself.

Amotekun is the Yoruba name for Leopard of the cat family. It is a large cat closely related to the lion, tiger, and jaguar.

What many don’t know is that the name leopard was originally given to the cat now called cheetah—the so-called hunting leopard—which was once thought to be a cross between the lion and the pard, according to Britannica.

The name pard was eventually replaced by the name leopard.

One may be tempted to ask why the governors chose the name -Amotekun among many other animals like Lion, Cheetah, Elephant or Tiger.

Well, some of these characteristics of Amotekun seem to address that.

Some features of the Leopard:

1. Leopards are spectacular hunters:

Not only are they quite fast and can run up to 58km/h, but are also famous for their incredible agility and strength to climb trees while dragging a kill that is sometimes heavier than their own body weight.

This feature may have largely influenced the decision of the governors to settle for the name, perhaps what they have in mind is a security outfit that can swiftly hunt down criminals who are said to be lurking in bushes around the Southwest states.

3. The animal takes to water readily and is a good swimmer.

4. Leopards survive on a variety of prey.