Amotekun Operatives, Commanders Write Governor Oyebanji, Traditional Rulers, Demands Better Welfare, Want Salaries Increased

By Emmanuel Adeoye

A group of Operatives / Commanders under the Ekiti State Security Network also known as Amotekun Corps in a separate letters formally written to the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji and the Traditional Rulers in the State, have requested for quick interventions, and demanded for a better welfare just as they want and desire increase in their salaries. 

The Operatives / Group of Commanders of the Ekiti State Security Network also known as Amotekun Corps in a letter signed by an Officer (name withheld), on behalf of all the 16 local government Commanders and 3 Senatorial Commanders passionately appealed to the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji as well as the Traditional Rulers in the State to wade into the matter so as not to allow the  efforts invested in creating the Amotekun Corps to be in vain. 

They decried and lamented on their poor welfare, low income, inadequate provision of manpower, logistics as well as shortage of their operational vehicles as a result of which the Amotekun Officers in Ekiti State has been very redundant and many atimes helpless in effectively carrying out the tasks placed before them.

They specifically appealed and called on Governor Oyebanji to as a matter of urgency intervene in the affairs of the Ekiti State Security Network also known as Amotekun Corps in Ekiti State. 

According to their words, they said, “we are appealing to our listening Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji to kindly intervene in

  the affairs of the Amotekun Corps. We are happy that the Amotekun Corps was your baby when you were the Secretary to the Governor of the State and now, to the glory of God, you are the Executive Governor of the State”, they reminded him.

Continuing, they said, “the Ekiti Amotekun Corps is now becoming redundant and helpless in terms of manpower, logistics and welfare. As regards to manpower, the Corps has lost more than 35 percent of it’s personnel to death as well as to those that decided to leave the Corps for greener pastures”.

They however appealed to the loving Governor of Ekiti State, His Excellency, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji to put a machinery in motion that will ensure the recruitment of more Amotekun Security personnels in the State to improve their efficiency and operational performances across the 16 local government areas of the State. 

“The leaders equally implored the government of Ekiti State on the urgent need to improve the welfare packages of the Amotekun Security Network personnels in the State to enable them to be motivated and give their best while  performing their duties”. 

In addition, they expressed their displeasure over the scarcity of outfits, uniforms, desert boots that they have only received once from the government since the inception of the Corps in the State. “The uniforms are not enough as only one pair of uniform were given since the inauguration of the Amotekun Security Network in Ekiti when compared with other operatives in the Southwest States”. 

Also, “our operational vehicles are partially off the road because of lack of maintenance, tyres, bad batteries and they therefore emphasized the need for there urgent replacement and the servicing of the vehicles which are inadequate have been done just once since 2022 till date.

“The only one operational vehicle per local government areas are not enough as many of these local government areas has more than 7 to 10 communities. Hence the reason why only one operational vehicle will not be enough to achieve a wider coverage in the LGAs. They added that the fueling of the patrol vehicles with the sum of N30,000 per month are grossly insufficient considering the present economy realities in the Country”.

The Operatives and the Commanders across the LGAs and the Senatorial districts equally berates the stipend being given them as not enough to feed their families and how they are been  treated like strangers in their State. 

They also appealed to Governor Oyebanji to help regularized the appointments of Officers working with the Amotekun Security Network at the local government offices who used their SSCE Certificates to be employed but who already have a higher qualifications. 

They argued that if those newly recruited into the Ekiti State Teaching Service Commission are all in Ekiti State payroll with better salaries, they queried why those of them engaging in an extreme  risk job in Amotekun Corps should not be treated better with good pay? 

“Paying the Amotekun Security Operatives with good pay will no doubt boost their morales and give them a better sense of belonging. They also used the opportunity to pledge their  unalloyed loyalty to the government of Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji and prayed that God will continue to strength him with more wisdom and understanding to lead the State to it’s promised land”. 

Also, in their separate letter to the Ekiti State Council Of Traditional Rulers, the 16 LGAs Operatives and the 3 Senatorial districts Commanders, pleaded with the Obas in Council to speak on their behalf to His Excellency, Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji to cater for their welfare and invest more on the Ekiti State Security Network also known as Amotekun Corps.