Amotekun: Makinde appoints Togun, Olayinka chairman, commandant; distributes palliatives

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has appointed the duo of General Ajibola Kunle Togun (rtd) and Colonel Olayanju Bisiriyu Olayinka (rtd) as chairman and commandant, respectively, of the Oyo State Security Network, codenamed Amotekun.
The governor, in a statement by his Special Assistant (Print Media) Moses Alao, indicated that the retired military officers will oversee the initiative, which was put in place to check insecurity in the state.
It will be recalled that Makinde signed the Amotekun Bill into law in March, with the government having procured vehicles and other equipment for use by the security outfit which, he noted, was set up to complement the efforts of other security agencies in the state.
The new chairman of the outfit, General Togun, retired from the military having served as Director of Military Intelligence and former Deputy Director-General of the State Security Service.
Togun, who attended the Government College, Ibadan, and Mount Olivet High School, Oyo, studied Zoology at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University),  Ile-Ife, between 1964 and 1968, before joining the Nigerian Army in 1968, where he served in the Awka Sector during the Nigerian Civil War.
He was the first non-American Army Officer to score 100 percent in a military subject at the aptitude level.
He served in various positions in the Army, including Presidential Guards, Dodan Barracks, Lagos; Adviser in the Nigerian Embassy, Cotonou in 1979; Battalion Commander; Brigade Commander, Director of Military Intelligence and
Similarly, the newly appointed commandant of the Oyo State Amotekun outfit, Col. Olayinka (rtd), has several years of experience in the military, having served as Assistant Director, British Military Advisory Training Team, Defence Headquarters, Abuja; Deputy Chief of Staff (Logistics), Headquarters 2 Div, Nigerian Army, Ibadan and Sector Commander, Operation Safe Haven, Plateau State, among others.
He began his military training at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Jaji, Nigeria, in 1993, and holds a Higher Defence Management and National Security certification from the National Defence College, Abuja.
He also holds a Masters of Strategic Studies certificate from the University of Ibadan, as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Criminology and Security Studies from the National Open University, Abuja; Professional Diploma in Safety and Security Management from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, among other educational and professional certifications.
Meanwhile, Makinde, on Wednesday, continued the distribution of palliatives to the poorest of the poor in Ibadan metropolis, promising that the state government would equally provide support to 10,000 farmers to aid food security.
Makinde, who conducted a symbolic distribution to households in Oke Ado, Foko, Oja-Oba and Oranyan areas within the metropolis, noted that the government would continue to support the vulnerable.
A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, said the effort was in continuation of the distribution of palliatives to 90,000 households earlier kickstarted in Ibarapa zone.
The statement quoted the Executive Adviser to the governor on Agribusiness, Dr. Debo Akande, as saying that the distribution of palliatives in Ibadan marked the final stage of the first batch of the exercise.
He said: “For the first phase of the distribution, we started in Ibarapa and we have done many local governments and regions including Ogbomoso, Oyo, Oke-Ogun and this is the time to finalise the first batch of the distribution in the state. As we are all aware that Ibadan alone has the highest number of local governments and that shows the significance of what is done today.
“And, of course, if the governor started the distribution, there also has to be a final handing over of these palliatives to the people as well. So, that was exactly what happened today.
“I am aware that we will evaluate what we have done in the first phase. We understand how far we have gone, the impact it has made and this will guide our decision in terms of the distribution for the second one.
“This is a government that is data-driven. We want to understand where our strength lies, what we have learnt and, on the basis of that, I can assure you that from the feedback we have gotten from the analysis we have done so far has shown that this is a systematic approach of distribution of food to the right set of people, which we have their data.”
Akande maintained that with the conclusion of the Ibadan end of the palliatives, the government has provided support to 90,000 households across board, adding that the state will equally embark on the distribution of palliatives to 30,000 vulnerables and special interests in the society.
“Currently, we have done 90,000 households across board. We have another 30,000 which we will be doing afterwards and then we will be looking at what we have as resources to continue the batches of distribution as it were.
“The palliative measure is in two ways. The first is to distribute food, which we have done and will continue to do. The second one is equally germane as well and that is focused on the support for food security within the state.
“What His Excellency has done with several analysis and support from scientists and specialists in this area is that we will be supporting close to 10,000 farmers across the state with different kind of agricultural inputs, and that will be happening within the next one or two weeks to support this planting season.”