Ekiti state Governor Kayode Fayemi has said the bill seeking legal backing for ‘Operation Amotekun’- the security outfit put in place by the South-west governors would be simultaneously assented to Friday.
He announced this Monday while receiving the proposed bill on Amotekun from the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Olawale Fapohunda.
He said when enacted, the bill would give the security outfit necessary legal bite for sustainability.
Fayemi also said the proposal would be extensively discussed during the State’s Executive Council meeting Wednesday for immediate transmission to the House of Assembly.
The governor said Amotekun was conceived by the six governors as a regional response to curb the scourge of kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery and all forms of criminalities confronting the region.
Governor Fayemi further said the initiative was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s security template on community policing designed to curb the rising security challenges confronting the nation.
He clarified that the security model was not targeted at a particular ethnic, saying Amotekun was not designed to give exclusive protection for only Yoruba, but every law abiding residents in the region regardless of their tribe and ethnic affiliation.
The governor said: “A lot of people have misconstrued about the essence of the Amotekun security network. It is not about an exclusive protection of indigenes of the South West.
“It is about safety and security of every person resident in the six states of the South West, regardless of where they might have come from.
“As long as they are legitimately and legally resident in every part of the states, we consider it our duty, we consider it our responsibility to protect them as long as their within the jurisdiction.
“Even though I have not read the bill, I am sure this is what this bill proposes. I am not sure the bill is for protection of Yoruba people living in the six states. It is going to talk on ensuring our highways are free from banditry, armed robberies, kidnappers and all forms of brigandage.
“To that extent, it is a logical extension of the community policing initiative that President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to that the Inspector General of Police has already communicated to various police formations across the country.
“Together with my colleagues, we have promised ourselves that this bill will be given accelerated discussions in our various State Executive Council meetings this week and send it expeditiously to our various State houses of Assembly this week.
“Our discussion with our speakers who have been waiting for the bill to the extent that they are recalling some of their members from recess in order to give this bill accelerated passage in the various legislatures.
“Latest by Friday, 14th February, 2020 the bill that hopefully will have been passed into law will be assented to simultaneously in the six states of the South West and will hope the team in charge of it will start the implementation of the Amotekun corps immediately.”
Presenting the bill to the governor, AGF Fapohunda said the South-west Houses of Assembly had promised to give the bill accelerated passage.
He said the proposed bill which, he said has about 38 provisions, was painstakingly prepared with specifications from each of the states which outlined the operational guidelines for the security network.
Fapohunda said: “The Attorney-General of the six states have been working on an enabling legal framework to give Amotekun legal strengthen.
“All of us would present the bill to our various governors for subsequent discussions at our various state executive councils.
“We have proposed 38 various provisions in the bill, key provisions in the bill include the establishment of Ekiti State Security network agency including its functions and objectives, the creation and the composition of the governing board for the agency, establishment of Ekiti state Amotekun corps including powers, criteria for enlistment into the corps, and as well as several other needs.
“We have also included provision for independent Amotekun corps complaints board. The purpose of the board is to provide an opportunity for our people to report instances or possible cases of abuse of power including violation of rights and corruption. We have also included copious provisions on the funding of the corps to ensure sustainability.
“And in line with the Fayemi led-administration’s policy of transparency and accountability, we would place a copy of this bill on the ministry of justice website by 5pm today to enable interested persons view the bill and possibly comment.”
