The Corps Commander of Osun Amotekun Corps, Adekunle Omoyele, has said it would be impossible for politicians to misuse or influence the functions of state police negatively when created.
With necessary law backing the establishment of state police and functions of the force carefully spelt out, Omoyele argued that it would be difficult for politicians manipulate the force for selfish motives.
He made this known while addressing journalists in Osogbo on Tuesday.
The Amotekun chief advocated for provision of needed equipment for state police to function efficiently whenever it is formed, expressing strong conviction that the force would stamp out criminals in each states of the federation, especially at local communities.
According to him, that the recruitment of operatives of the state police would be carried out in grassroots communities would further boost the chances of the force because they would know the nooks and crannies of the communities more than federal police agents.
Wondering why some people were rejecting the proposed creation of state police, Omoyele said, “When people are talking about state policing, what comes to the mind of the people is that politicians will be using them. It is not possible because they will have a law that will control their functions and jurisdictions.
“The federal police, are politicians not using them? But state police, there should be strong law guiding its operations so that when politicians even use them, you go back to law and fire them. That is why our lawmakers should enact law for state police when it is coming up.”
He further noted with optimism that state police would restore peace and security in grassroots communities and the states it is overseeing without clashing with its federal counterpart.
“I don’t think there is any agitation for now, the state police will function than federal police because it was lie that before. My father was one of them and they used to wear white and black then; they (state police) did their job and federal police did their job that time. People should go back to archive and check why they abolished it (state police),” he said.
He added, “I think state policing should be the best. We have federal courts and we have state courts and all of them know their jurisdictions. I don’t think there is reason to say state police should not be created in this country.”
