23rd January, 2020
Nigeria’s Federal Government and Southwest Governors on Thursday reached an agreement on Operation Amotekun.
This was revealed by Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on his twitter handle on Thursday.
Laolu wrote: “News Flash: FG, Southwest Governors agree on Amotekun.”
News Flash: FG, Southwest Governors agree on Amotekun
— Laolu Akande (@akandeoj) January 23, 2020
Akande later issued a statement on the meeting, saying the meeting was at the instance of the Governors who had asked to see President Muhammadu Buhari over the controversy surrounding the Amotekun Initiative.
“However due to the President’s foreign engagement, he asked the Vice President to host the meeting. The meeting was very fruitful and unanimous resolutions were made on the way forward.
“Having regard to the need for all hands to be on deck in addressing the security concerns across the country, it was agreed that the structure of Amotekun should also align with the Community Policing strategy of the Federal Government.
“It was also agreed that necessary legal instruments will be put in place by each of the States to give legal backing to the initiative and address all issues concerning the regulation of the security structure,” Akande said in the statement.
Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, had said the establishment of the outfit was illegal and unconstitutional as the issue of security was the exclusive preserve of the Federal Government as laid down in the nation’s constitution.
Since Malami made the statement, outrage has greeted the pronouncement across Southwest. Several bigwigs in Southwest had kicked against Malami’s pronouncement.
Also, protests had rocked Southwest states in defiant to Malami’s statement, while Miyetti Allah has consistently attacked Southwest leaders for insisting on Amotekun, saying that the zone might lose 2023 presidency for this singular act.
Prof. Wole Soyinka had said Amotekun had come to stay, saying such an outfit was needed in a Southwest zone raved by insecurity.
National leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, while backing the establishment of Amotekun called for dialogue to resolve the difference.