A human rights lawyer, Tope Temokun, has petitioned the Ondo State House of Assembly over what he described as the unlawful denial of appointment letters to officers of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun.
Temokun revealed that since the corps was established in 2020, its officers have served without official appointment letters, unlike their counterparts in other southwestern states. Instead, the officers were only given warrant cards, which he stressed cannot substitute for proper employment documents.
He described the practice as unfair labour treatment and a violation of the officers’ constitutional rights to fair working conditions, dignity, and security of tenure. He urged the Assembly to investigate the matter, verify the payroll, and ensure that genuine officers are issued appointment letters that will guarantee their future entitlements such as pension, gratuity, and seniority recognition.
The petition was also copied to the state Attorney-General, relevant House Committees, as well as labour bodies including the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC). Temokun warned that if the state government and Assembly fail to act, he would be left with no choice but to seek legal redress to protect the officers who, according to him, risk their lives daily to safeguard Ondo State.
