Soyinka warns that Amotekun must not become SARS

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has said the South-West Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun, must not morph into another Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force.

He said the men of the Amotekun Corps must be trained on the issue of ethics so that they don’t become more brutal and ruthless than the officers of the defunct police unit.

Ondo and Oyo States have launched the security outfit endorsed by the governments of the six South-West states last year.

However, of late, there have been allegations of recklessness and extrajudicial killings against the security outfit, especially in Oyo State.

Speaking on Arise TV on Saturday, Soyinka said the minds of the Amotekun operatives must be trained to understand the essence of their job.

He said, “I have told them anytime you want us to come and assist, we will come even if it is just on the ethical session so that as you are training them to defend us, we are also training their minds so that Amotekun does not become another SARS, very important. We must do everything together.”

Soyinka, who said some South-West states were tardy in inaugurating their Amotekun Corps, urged other states yet to launch their security outfits to do so quickly as the challenge of insecurity has reached a “stage of desperation”.