INSECURITY: Ekiti govt sets aside N1.4bn to fund Amotekun, buy drones

The Ekiti State government has set aside the sum of N1.4 billion for the State Security Network, codenamed Amotekun Corps, in its 2021 budget to battle insecurity in the state.

This was revealed during a press conference on Sunday in Ado Ekiti by the Commissioner for Budget, Mr Femi Ajayi who said that the state was not leaving anything to chance in 2021 in its bid to address growing insecurity in the state especially kidnapping.

He said that the sum of N1.44 billion has been earmarked by the state government as capital allocation for Amotekun Corps for the procurement of Drones for surveillance, in the state.

Mr Ajayi further added that a total sum of N320 million will be spent on safety city project while the Ekiti State Security Trust Fund will gulp the sum of N55 million.

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He said; “Following the incessant security challenges which include kidnapping, herders/farmers clashes, robberies in the country, to ensure the security of lives and properties, Governor Kayode Fayemi inaugurated the Ekiti State Security Trust Fund coined ‘Amotekun’ in collaboration with the other South-Western States on 19th October 2020.

“A sum of N1.44 billion has been earmarked as capital allocation for Amotekun Corps. For the procurement of Drones for surveillance, a sum of N550 million has been earmarked while a total of N320 million will be spent on safety city project and the Ekiti State Security Trust Fund will gulp a sum of N55 million,” the commissioner said.

Ajayi also added that the state government had earmarked a total of N8 billion to critical areas of social services, to include the education sector, health, gender empowerment, social security and other pivotal sub-sectors critical to the growth of the state’s economy.

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