By Salewa Abiodun
There are plans to organize a mass rally against the South West Security Network, (SWSN) codenamed Amotekun this week, Irohinoodua has been informed.
Our correspondent learnt that the rally is being sponsored by vested political interests outside the South West area. Our source claimed that the sponsors are investing a huge amount of money to lander anti-Amotekun campaign at home and abroad. The source said the sponsors wish to begin with a rally slated for Lagos adding that if the Lagos rally succeeds the promoters will launch similar rallies across the South West states. The campaign, according to sources is aimed at creating a bad impression about an otherwise creative and people-driven project aimed at reducing crime in the South West which is Nigeria’s industrial hub.
“The rally will be held in Lagos with the support of the security operatives. It will be backed by intensive media campaign to rubbish the Amotekun project”, the source said. The South West Governors on June last year launched a regional security outfit in the wake of kidnapping and herdsmen invasion of farmlands and killings in some instances.
The initiative was motivated by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, (DAWN) as early as 2011 following the upsurge in Boko Haram and the crisis in the Mahgreb Region. This year in January the project was launched amidst funfare. The bills have been signed into law by at least three state governors. The remaining three governors are expected to sign the bill latest next week.
Since the proclamation, various interests have given interpretations to the scheme sometimes from primordial interests. It is believed that many Governors in the core North are opposed to the Amaotekun initiative and have been doing everything possible to scuttle the project.