Dark clouds over Amotekun

Just five days after it was launched amidst fanfare in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, the federal government has declared Operation Amotekun, a South-west security outfit, as illegal. What then does the future hold for this initiative; KEHINDE OSASONA asks in this report

Before Amotekun berthed

During one of its security summits in Ibadan in 2019, the six South-west states’ governors – Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo; Dr Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti; Dapo Abiodun of Ogun; Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos; Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun, and the host governor, Seyi Makinde of Oyo – all pledged to find a solution to the lingering security challenges in the zone.

Delivering his address at the occasion, Makinde noted that a regional approach to resolving the security challenges facing the South-west geo-political zone was important.

According to him, the problem of insecurity in the zone was like “a snake on the roof and we cannot ignore it and go to sleep.”

Makinde, who also decried the rising spate of kidnappings and growing tension between farmers and herdsmen in the zone, added that deliberations at the summit would “throw up tailor-made solutions that can be applied to the states of the South-west.”

Recall

Fielding questions from journalists recently, one of the security chiefs told newsmen that the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force and the police were not consulted on the role they would play in the security initiative for the region; hence their absence.

A senior official in the Navy, who asked not to be named in print, was quoted as having said, “Although the programme was touted to be a joint operation that is supposed to involve the military, none of us were consulted or briefed.

“I think they are just doing their thing on the political level. But if we are to come into the arrangement, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) will have to give us an official directive.”

Blueprint Weekend equally gathered that the police formation in the region did not partake in the event because they did not get any directive from the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mohammed Adamu.

As if having a premonition of possible a clampdown on the Operation Amotekun initiative, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti at the occasion clarified some ‘knotty issues.’

The governor used the occasion to disabuse people’s minds that Operation Amotekun was a ploy by the South-west governors to create state police.

He also said they were not out to undermine the integrity and sovereignty of Nigeria, but were providing the Yoruba people with a “confidence-building strategy” to tackle crime and criminality in the region.

The governor said further that Amotekun was neither an alternative to any of the conventional security agencies in the country nor a state police.

He said rather, it would complement and work in collaboration with security agencies to provide adequate security of lives and property in the region.

“The Western Nigeria Security Network, Operation Amotekun, is nothing but a community policing response to a problem that our people would like to put an end to. But pending the time that the community policing strategy being put together by the Nigeria Police comes to fruition, it is clearly important that we give our people a confidence boosting strategy.

“So, if you ask me, Amotekun is nothing but a confidence-building strategy for our people in the western zone,” he said.

The threats

Earlier, the commissioner of police from the South-west states of Ogun, Ondo and Ekiti had laid down the ground rules for Operation Amotekun.

Apart from reeling out the riot act to would-be operatives of Amotekun the police chiefs in these states have also been talking tough.

Essentially, the police was saying that members of Amotekun were only permitted to use Dane guns and not sophisticated weapons.

Firing the first salvo was Ogun state which spoke through its Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi.

Just moments after the launch, the state command warned that any civilian member of Operation Amotekun found guilty of using unlicensed firearms would be arrested.

Oyeyemi was quoted as saying that “anybody who does not belong to any security agency, such as the army, the police, and the customs, cannot bear AK-47 rifles.”

“You cannot be in possession of prohibited firearms and you expect us to condone that. For example, somebody who does not belong to any security agency such as the army, the police and the customs cannot carry an AK-47 rifle. You can’t carry a pump-action,” he said.

Toeing the same line, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Ondo state Police Command, CSP Femi Joseph, said anyone who wished to get firearms should get the licence.

He said, “There are categories of firearms. The ones that are prohibited are those ones using cartridges. If you are carrying them without being licensed, it is illegal, but the Dane guns used by local hunters in the farm are not prohibited because they don’t use cartridges.”

The spokesperson for the Ekiti state Police Command, Sunday Abutu, also warned that any member of Amotekun caught bearing prohibited firearms would be arrested.

According to him, it is the responsibility of the police to arrest and prosecute any individual or group bearing arms illegally.

 The clampdown

Just as that was yet to simmer, the sub-regional outfit got a big shocker from the Presidency, as it was declared illegal via a statement from the AGF office.

Apart from the intrigues within, a dependable source divulged to Blueprint Weekend that the Presidency was not kindly disposed to the idea from the onset, saying it was considered as part of restructuring agenda being nurtured by the region.

While clamping down on the outfit a few days ago via a statement, the federal government declared that the setting up of the paramilitary organisation was illegal and “runs contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian Law.”

The statement partly read: “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) has established the Army, Navy and Air Force, the Police and other numerous paramilitary organisations for the purpose of the defence of Nigeria.

“As a consequence of this, no state government, whether singly or in a group, has the legal right and competence to establish any form of organization or agency for the defense of Nigeria or any of its constituent parts.

“This is sanctioned by the provision of Item 45 of the Second Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) authorising the police and other federal government security services established by law to maintain law and order.

“The law will take its natural course in relation to excesses associated with organisation, administration and participation in Amotekun or continuous association with it as an association.”

We saw it coming – Expert

An Abuja-based security analyst who craved anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter told this reporter that some of them saw the present happenings unfolding coming.

He said there were skepticisms over the whole initiative when at the launch of what was supposed to be a regional security outfit and promoted by the six states chief security officers were unveiled and none of the army and police chief bosses was present.

Further reactions

While rejecting Malami’s pronouncement, prominent persons under the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum and other leaders across four geo-political zones in the country with the exception of the North-west and North-east have also told the South-west governors to ignore claims by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, that Amotekun was illegal.

In their statement which was signed by Yinka Odumakin (South-west); Gen. CRU Iherike (South-east); Senator Bassey Henshaw (South-south) and Dr. Isuwa Dogo (Middle Belt), the group wondered why the Civilian Joint Task Force and Hisbah were not considered illegal as well.

The group accused the AGF and the Presidency of posturing to make some parts of the country vulnerable to herdsmen attacks.

 “We consider his action as an abuse of office to suppress the rights of federating units to secure themselves and in furtherance of the widely-held suspicion that sections of the country are deliberately being rendered vulnerable for herdsmen and other criminals by the federal government.

‘No going back’

Meanwhile, the Ogun state government has described the AGF’s position as “a mere statement from another government official.”

Consequently, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Kunle Somorin, has hinted on the possibility of taking the AGF to court.

He said, “It is a mere statement by another government official. Other political leaders across the South-west have spoken in favour of Amotekun. Other regions are planning to emulate South-west governors on the ideas and ideals of Amotekun.

“There’s no going back. We can challenge it in the law court. The AGF must know the truth that Amotekun is a reality, nothing is changing it. There’s no going back on Amotekun.”

Gani Adams on Malami

In his reaction, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Otunba Gani Adams, berated the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, for describing the security outfit as “illegal.”

Adams said the AGF position did not confer on him the authority to declare a security outfit unlawful, adding that that position “is the prerogative of the court.”

He said, “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 South-west recently.

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

‘FG’s pronouncement anticlimax’

Notary Public and Assistant Counsel, International Criminal Court (ICC), Oluwaleke Atolagbe, has described the AGF statement on the birth of the joint security outfit the Western Region Security Network (WRSN) as an “anticlimax.”

Atolagbe also urged the Office of the Attorney-General, the South-west governors and the nation’s security hierarchy to restructure any defect Operation Amotekun suffers and legitimise it to serve its security purpose.

The legal practitioner, who spoke to Blueprint Weekend in an exclusive interview, encouraged the government of the South-west states to proceed to court, saying that by virtue of Section 33 (2) of the 1999 Constitution persons and individuals in the country are entitled to defend themselves and even kill in extreme cases if the need arises in defence of themselves and their property.

He said, “I believe Operation Amotekun is supposed to augment the existing security set-up such as the police which appear to be overwhelmed with the pervasive security challenges bedeviling the country.

While explaining further, Atolagbe added that only the National Assembly can make laws relating to issues of police and other government security.

“Item 45 of Part I, Second Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) which clearly puts “police and other government security services established by law” under the Exclusive Legislative List,” he said.

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