Oyo Formalizes Grassroots Security as Amotekun and Vigilante Groups Lead Crime Prevention

As the first term concluded in May 2023, the administration had established a robust infrastructure for community-based security. The Oyo Amotekun Corps, with 1,500 personnel deployed across all 33 Local Government Areas, became the primary vehicle for this community participation. 

These corps members are recruited from their local communities, ensuring they have the trust and cultural sensitivity required for effective intelligence gathering. To support this, the government provided 100 operational vehicles and dual communication systems, enabling local watch groups to coordinate directly with the state’s central security control room.

A critical component of this participation was the operationalization of the 615 Citizens’ Emergency toll-free line and the relaunch of the Oyo City Watch and Crime Alert Platform. These tools allow citizens to report crimes in real-time, effectively turning every smartphone into a neighborhood watch tool. 

By 2021, the government had expanded the Security Control Room at Onireke, Ibadan, to act as a hub for these community-generated alerts. This digital integration ensured that the "see something, say something" slogan moved beyond rhetoric into a functional emergency response system.

Throughout 2022, the state deepened its engagement with traditional rulers and community leaders to oversee these neighborhood security efforts. Regular security council meetings at the local government level provided a platform for these non-state actors to share intelligence with the Police and the Civil Defence (NSCDC).