By, Precious Ojo

The All Progressives Congress APC in Oyo state has described the reported loss of more than 200 members of the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun Corps) in the state in undisclosed circumstances as saddening, alarming and unacceptable.

It called on Governor Seyi Makinde to provide more details about the revelation and ensure that the corps officials as well as all responsible residents were protected by his administration.

Governor Makinde, in his address during a sympathy visit to the residents of the communities in Oriire local government area where suspected bandits killed 2 people and abducted about 45 school children and some of their teachers last month, said last week that over 200 men of the Amotekun Corps were lost in active service recently but he failed to supply details of what led to their death.

Oyo APC while reacting to the development in a statement issued and made available to journalists by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, on Thursday, he expressed dismay over “lack of empathy on the part of Gov. Makinde who broke the sad news with utmost flippancy, triviality and insensitivity as if he was talking about chikens or goats killed by epidemics.

“With this ugly development, there is no denying the fact that the current administration in Oyo state does not attach much importance to the lives of the people.”

“How can a governor mention the death of over 200 dedicated crime fighters flippantly and without any recourse to the feeling of their family members and loved ones? Why did the governor withhold information on the high casualty figures of the slain Amotekun Corps?”

“For Oyo to have recorded such a high number of fatalities among its security team, it indicates that crime rates in the state has reached the crescendo while the state government covers up a whole lot of things. The revelation by the governor also raises a lot of questions regarding the condition of service in the Amotekun Corps Service. From our own discreet investigations, we found that Gov. Makinde has failed to work a synergy between the Corps and the federal security agencies on account of needless ego and cluelessness.

“Meanwhile, it is important for Gov. Makinde to involve relevant security experts in the fight against crime in the state. The practice whereby Amotekun Corps members are being deployed to man hotels, properties and business facilities belonging to friends and political associates of the governor should be stopped while only competent hands should be recruited even as training, retraining and good welfare packages must be put in place for the officials for them to operate under minimum risk and high motivation”. APC stated.