Amotekun: Afe Babalola says no law stops southwest’s security outfit
- Afe Babalola, a prominent legal luminary, has said Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, was wrong with his declaration on Amotekun
- Babalola declared Amotekun as constitutional since the Nigerian police do not have a monopoly over the protection of lives and property
- The elder statesman noted that there are other security outfits complementing the police in other states of the federation
A Nigerian elder statesman and prominent lawyer, Afe Babalola, has discredited the declaration of the country's attorney-general, Abubakar Malami, that 'Amotekun', the security outfit of the southwest, is illegal.
Babalola argued that there is no Nigerian law that forbids the establishment of such a security outfit.
The legal luminary said he disagrees with Malami because the formation of Amotekun is constitutional, especially as it has to do with concerns over public safety and protection of lives.
Source: UGC
"There is no law in Nigeria which prevents citizens from being able to secure their lives and properties.
"Indeed without protecting the right to life and property, no other right can be exercised as one has to be alive to enforce other rights as guaranteed in the constitution," Afe Babalola said.
The senior lawyer further argued that from stipulations in the constitution, the police does not have the monopoly of jurisdiction over the protection of lives and properties.
He also noted that various security bodies are in existence in many parts of Nigeria. He mentioned the Civilian-JTF and the Hisbah police as examples.
He noted that there are vigilantes who have carried out duties like the Nigeria police in many states of the federation.
"There is nowhere in the police act where a citizen is prohibited from being vigilant to protect his life or property either personally or together with other citizens," Babalola said citing sections of the law to back his argument.
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Legit.ng reported earlier that the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, on Wednesday, January 15, asked the governors from the southwest to protest the declaration by Malami.
Iba Adams also told Malami that the zone has a right to protect itself against internal and external attacks.
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Operation Amotekun: Should it be replicated in other regions? Nigerians react | Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng
