As the newly launched security outfit tagged Western Nigeria Security Network (tagged: Operation Amotekun) begins operations, one of its personnel, Soludero Hunters’ Association has said the outfit doesn’t rely on guns to function well but would use their ancestors’ powers to ward off any aggression against Yoruba indigenes in the zone.
Nureni Ajijola Anabi, the national president of the hunters, who spoke with Vanguard on Wednesday, January 15, 2020, said since the outfit was launched, they had resuscitated all “powers used by our ancestors to conquer their aggressors and that’s what we will use in protecting our zone”.
“We promise to be civil and law-abiding in our operations. We will never disappoint our governors who initiated the security outfit.
Also, the Ooni of Ife, Eniitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi, other prominent Yoruba kings, governors in the South-West zone, the Chairman of Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria, Prince Kehinde Adeyemo, the chairman of Oyo State Road Transport Management Agency, Mogaji Akin Fagbemi, Adebanji Akintoye, Yoruba leader, should be rest assured that Amotekun will live up to expectation.”
On the fears of Miyetti Allah that Amotekun was created against them, Ajijola who is also the Defence Minister of the RTEAN, Oyo State branch, noted that herders should not entertain any fear so far they “don’t come to our lands and be terrorising our people.
We will not tolerate that any longer. We are not against any group provided they don’t pose threats to our lives and property”.
“Anyone who has the mind to kidnap, kill or rape our women should have a rethink. If not, we hunters in the South West will prove to them the stuff we are made of.”
“It is only the people or group who want to kill, maim, kidnap and rape our women, destroy our livelihoods that should be afraid.
“We will match them strength with strength. We can’t watch them commit atrocities on our lands. They can’t take our lands from us.
“We promise all Yorubas that they are secure anywhere in the zone because we have more than 500,000 hunters in each of the six states. We will not betray you
“As for the use of weapons, that may not be necessary. The powers of our ancestors are enough weapons. We don’t need any approved weapon to operate. It was the powers that our forefathers used to win many battles in the past. They are still very much with us. We only need to revive them.
“All of us (personnel) in hunters’ association will swear by god of iron. The meaning is that you don’t betray, else god of iron will strike.
“Recently, thunders struck in some places and we all saw the effects. We can employ the services of these deities and they will answer us speedily
“We thank the governors for their courageous move to protect our people. In fact, our hunters are enough to check criminality. Our kings in the past engaged the services of hunters to protect their territories and their people were safe”, he said.
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