How FG, Southwest Governors Agreed On “Amotekun”

By AbuSatar Hamed

ABUJA: The controversial issue of the South West security outfit – “Amotekun” may have been resolved as both parties involved have agreed that all hands must be on deck in addressing the security concerns across the country.

According to a press release e-signed and made availabile to StarTrend Int’l magazine & www.startrendinternational.com by Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Office of the Vice President, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), on Thursday, January 23, 2020 met with South West Governors, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police 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, and it was agreed that the structure of “Amotekun” should also align with the Community Policing strategy of the Federal Government.

The meeting which was described as very fruitful and unanimous resolutions were made on the way forward, 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.

Governor Oluywarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State who is also the Chairman, Southwest Governors’ Forum, who spoke with newsmen at the end of the meeting in Abuja said the two sides had fruitful deliberation and had agreed on a legal framework for Amotekun.

“We held a very fruitful discussion, the meeting was presided over by the Vice President, we have rubbed minds and all of us have agreed on the way forward, most important one is that we have agreed to have a legal framework backing Amotekun and this legal framework is going to be one all of us will look at and ensure that it goes without any hindrance,” Akeredolu said.

He said the establishment of Amotekun had not been put on hold, but would work in the form of community policing which the Federal Government had been championing.

“Amotekun is there, you know the federal government is tightening community policing; in essence really, it is about community policing; so, we are going to work together and see the community policing and Amotekun work in a way,” he said.

When asked why consultations were not made before the establishment of Amotekun, Akeredolu disagreed, saying there were consultations.

“We held discussion with the IGP then, what he has developed is what has led to this, not that there were no consultations. We just felt that with all these noise outside, it is better for us to sit down and you remember immediately when the noise started, I said we are going to explore political solution.

“We have looked at the solution to it now, legal solution and political, all of us will do it. At no time did government want to stop Amotekun,” he said.