Amotekun: Gani Adams asks southwest to act fast against Malami’s declaration

Amotekun: Gani Adams asks southwest to act fast against Malami’s declaration

- Iba Gani Adams, Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, believes Attorney-General Abubakar Malami cannot stop the southwest from going ahead with Amotekun

- Adams says there had been pressure on the governors from the presidency prior to the establishment of the security outfit

- The Aare Ona Kakanfo laments that instead of Malami to praise the governors, he is condemning their initiative

The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, on Wednesday, January 15, insisted that the southwest zone has a right to protect itself against internal and external attacks.

Iba Adams issued the declaration in reaction to the statement credited to Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation and justice minister, that Amotekun, the security outfit of the zone, is illegal.

Adams also revealed that at a meeting with the presidency just before the launch of Amotekun, the southwest governors were under pressure, but that they insisted on the protection of the people of the zone.

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Amotekun: Gani Adams asks south west to act fast against Malami’s declaration
Gani Adams says he is aware of the pressure on the governors before the launch of Amotekun
Source: Original

Read Gani Adams' full statement below:

I find it disturbing your statement of Tuesday, January 14, 2020, declaring the security initiative of southwest governors 'Amotekun' as illegal.

You also threatened that the full course of the law will be applied to anybody promoting the Amotekun security initiative.

Maybe you have forgotten. I need to remind you that you are the attorney-general of the country, not a section of the country.

So, your outburst against the governors who were elected, not selected or appointed, is against the spirit of 1999 constituted (as amended).

The right to life is universal and no government can legislate against that. I don't need to bother you about killings, kidnappings, banditry and other criminal vices in the southwest recently.

Even Mrs Funke Olakunrin, the daughter of Yoruba leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, was killed and nobody has been arrested in respect of all these killings.

One thing is clear: Nigerians have the right to protect themselves. Not only that: southwest people have a right to protect and defend themselves against attacks.

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Amotekun is an initiative by the southwest governors to defend our people.

Where you are getting it wrong is this: The Amotekun initiative has nothing to do with the territorial integrity of Nigeria. If there is a breach of the territorial integrity of the country, the military will come in immediately.

So, nobody is rising against Nigeria, as your letter to the governors, directly or indirectly, implied.

What is happening is that our people no longer feel safe because the land has been invaded by some elements from within and outside the country.

It is unfortunate that rather than praise the governors, you are condemning their action, thereby strengthening the hands of those who believe the federal government is against some sections of the country.

As a lawyer and a senior advocate, you should know that you are not the law. You are only the Attorney-General, not a court.

It is only a court of competent jurisdiction that will decide if what an individual, group of individuals, an entity or a state does is legal or otherwise.

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So, it is only a court that can invalidate the southwest joint security initiative, not you.

I want to establish this fact that the Yoruba have a right to protect themselves from attack or violence of any sort.

Issue of security is highly sensitive, and we can now understand where the threat is coming from. It is unfortunate that the FG is doing everything to frustrate the southwest governors' efforts.

For instance, last Wednesday, that was less than 24-hours before the launching of Amotekun in Ibadan, the presidency summoned the southwest governors to Aso rock.

We knew about the intrigues that played out at the meeting. We knew about the frustrations at Aso rock, but the governors, having realised the implications of playing politics with the lives of their people, stood their ground and went ahead to launch the security outfit as planned"

So, it is your position on this volatile situation that is illegal, unlawful, immoral and of no effect because your declaration has proved some critics right that some states in the country are deliberately left vulnerable to attacks by criminals.

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I want to state that the right to life cannot be in the exclusive list of any serious government.

I call on Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Gboyega Oyetola (Osun), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) to ignore your position on this matter.

Why do people employ guards in their houses? For security.

Why do Community Development Associations (CDAs) employ guards to secure streets and areas? To ensure the protection of lives and property.

Is that initiative in the exclusive list of the constitution? No.

I repeat that the right to preserve and protect your life can never be in the exclusive list of any government.

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I am aware of similar security outfits in other sections of the country. Why you are against the protection of the lives and properties of Yoruba people defies logic.

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This week is the 50th anniversary of the end of the civil war. We should do everything to avoid plunging the country into another war.

Mr Malami, please don't set a bad precedent.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the federal government, on Tuesday, January 14, declared the southwest security outfit, Operation Amotekun as illegal.

The government's position was contained in a statement by Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami SAN released on his behalf by his media aide, Jubril Gwandu.

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Operation Amotekun: Should it be replicated in other regions? Nigerians react | Legit TV

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