Amotekun: Ekiti NBA harps on mandatory psychiatric test for operatives
As part of ways to inject sanity into the conduct and operations of the Ekiti state Security Network Agency, otherwise known as ‘Amotekun’, the state branch of the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) has recommended compulsory psychiatric test for the personnel of the agency during recruitment.
The NBA said the step has become necessary in view of the alleged misconduct by men and officers of conventional security agencies that have led to acts of brutality, unwarranted incarceration and killing of innocent Nigerians.
The bill establishing the outfit, now awaiting Governor Kayode Fayemi’s assent was on Friday, passed into law by the state House of Assembly.
Speaking in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, the NBA Chairman, Ado Ekiti branch, Olakanmi Falade, said he had made the suggestion for the inclusion of mandatory psychiatric examination at the public hearing held on Thursday by the state House of Assembly, as part of the prerequisites for qualification as an operatives of ‘Amotekun’.
He said that Section 19 of the Ekiti state Security Network Agency bill sent to the House spoke about qualification, but was silent on the crucial issue of mental stability, which he said spurred him to make the recommendation for psychiatric tests.
“Under the interpretation of that section, arms should not mean firearms alone; it should also include axes, cutlasses and even sticks. That I think would have been taken into account before the passage of the bill.
“Also, I proposed that in addition to the criteria for employment of officials, a mandatory psychiatric test should be added in the law as stated in Section 19 which dealt with recruitment.
“The passed bill before transmission to the executive with amendments should include this; the mental stability of whoever carries arms matters to Nigerians.
“We have seen cases of how Nigerians are being abused by security operatives. We have seen how those that were supposed to guarantee safety ended up killing innocent people over flimsy excuses.
“I appeal to the House to effect this while doing the amendment before transmitting the bill to the executive. I observed that the composition of the board that will superintend over the agency was contained in the passed bill.
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“I believe the board will be given the powers to set their own rules and criteria for recruitment when they begin operation. The board must adopt this as part of the rules for recruitment even if it ends not being part of the amendments.
“This should taken seriously in the recruitment exercise, so that the operatives won’t turn out to be law-breakers,” the NBA boss said.
