The Commandant, Osun Amotekun Corps, Brig. Gen Bashir Adewinmbi has asserted that it will be difficult to combat insecurity as long as politicians continue to use thugs for elections.
Adewinbi noted that the thugs being used for elections by political parties are the ones terrorising communities, states, and the country at large.
Buttressing his assertion, Adewinbi stated that whenever a thug or some thugs are arrested, politicians will intervene and influence their release.
The Commandant spoke with OSUN DEFENDER recently when the medium sought his reaction on the reported prevailing extortion, harassment, daylight robbery, and abduction of residents of Osogbo, Osun State capital, by hoodlums.
Adewinbi said: There are so many thugs in Osun now; all the thugs used for elections, both left and right, there is nothing for them again. The only thing they (thugs) think of doing is to go to town to commit any crime; they believe they have the backing of some politicians, and that is the reality of it.
“They have the backing of some politicians, and when they are arrested, you see people calling here and there to seek for their release. This is the challenge we are facing; undue political interference in security system. This is greatly constituting to insecurity.
“Is it compulsory to use thugs for elections? Is it part of the electoral system? We need to take hard decision at the highest level to address this, so that everybody will be safe.
“Some thugs are imported, and they will not go back after coming in. They will be influencing the ones within, conniving with them to commit all sorts of crime. Is it compulsory to use thugs during the conduct of election? Can’t we blacklist any party that uses thugs for election? Is it not possible, if we are really serious with security in this country? National Assembly should look at that and start taking step for hard decisions to combat insecurity in this country.
“We have to just close our eyes and do the right thing. They (thugs) will soon be attacking us (the rich people in Nigeria). They will not know who is who again. The best thing is to close them up. No political party should use thugs for election. Any political party that uses thugs should be blacklisted for 10 years. Everybody will sit up. Let us try it. There is nothing impossible in Nigeria. Let us eradicate thuggery.
“Thugs are now making big money; They see thuggery as a business. Some hoodlums will gather and declare that they are in charge of a particular area; they are doing that because they have the backing of some people. That is not the way to go.”
Source: Osun Defender
