Screening and verification of over 47,000 applicants for 2,000 Amotekun jobs in Oyo State began on Wednesday.
As early as 8.00 a.m., applicants including members of Agbekoya, hunters, vigilante, members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Soludero, with or without educational qualifications, were seen at Adamasingba Stadium venue of the exercise.
While each applicant tendered registration slip and means of identification, they were also asked questions on their experiences in tackling insecurity in their respective domains, the roles in the various groups they claim to belong to and knowledge of the local government areas they belong to.
Speaking on the exercise, Chairman, Oyo State Security Network Agency and Amotekun Corps, General Kunle Togun, disclosed that a background check on criminal records of the applicants will also be done.
“Over 47,000 persons applied, while we are to take 2,000 for now. Graduates, school certificate holders and those that do not have any educational background applied.
“We asked them questions on what operations they had done in the past. We want to know if they are experienced and active, what role they played in their various groups. We’ll also check to know if they have had criminal records.
“Some gave incoherent information about where they came from; some did not give facts about the local government areas they claim to hail from,” Togun said.
Togun however said the recruitment of 2,000 personnel was only for a start, with more personnel to subsequently be recruited.
The screening, which began on Wednesday, will span till Monday, September 21 for applicants from Ibadan main city and less city.
This will be followed by screening of applicants from Ibarapa zone from September 22nd to 24th.
Screening of applicants from Oyo, Oke-Ogun and Ogbomoso is to subsequently follow on yet-to-be-announced dates.