Amotekun: AGF Malami says FG will make position known soon
- The AGF and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, said the federal government will soon make its official position on Operation Amotekun known
- Amotekun, a security outfit created by the southwest governors, has been a subject of heated debates as some people claim it is unconstitutional
- Some senior lawyers, however, commended the initiative, arguing that the security outfit is to protect the lives and property of citizens which is the governors' primary constitutional duty
The Attorney General of the Federation and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, says the federal government will soon make its official position known regarding the regional security outfit, Amotekun, created by southwest governors, ThisDay reports.
Legit.ng notes that the creation of the security outfit officially known as Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN) has generated controversies in the past few weeks.
While some consider the move a welcome development, others condemn it, alleging that it is against the Nigerian constitution.
Source: UGC
Malami reportedly told ThisDay that the federal government is currently studying the structure of the security outfit to determine its constitutionality.
“It is about analysing the scope of the functions of Amotekun within the constitutional spirit of exclusive legislative list or otherwise," he said, reiterating that the government's official position will be made known soon.
Some senior lawyers who spoke to the newspaper, however, said that there is nothing unconstitutional about Operation Amotekun.
Malam Yusuf Alli, SAN, said the Nigerian constitution only forbids the establishment of a private army.
The senior lawyer said vigilante has already been accepted in the country and nobody has argued against its constitutionality.
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Another senior lawyer, Chief Adeniyi Akintola, said the southwest should rather be commended for the security initiative, not condemned.
He said the southwest governors, by creating Amotekun, upheld the constitution which mandates them to protect the lives and properties of their citizens.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) advised the southwest governors and other stakeholders involved to make public the operation manual of the security initiative and ensure it is not against constitutional provisions.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state had explained the rationale behind the establishment of Amotekun.
Fayemi, who governs Ekiti and chairs a forum of Nigerian governors, said Amotekun is not a form of the regional police.
The governor spoke at the launch of the security body in Ibadan, Oyo state, explaining that the governors were under pressure to secure the lives and property of the people of the region.
According to Fayemi, the fears of the people of the southwest needed to be allayed especially with the way incidents of insecurity occurred in the area in recent times.
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