The Southern and Middle Belt leaders have rejected the directive of
Abubakar Malami SAN declaring Operation Amotekun as illegal, describing
the statement as an abuse of office.
In a statement signed by
Yinka Odumakin (South-West); Gen CRU Iherike (South-East); Senator
Bassey Henshaw (South-South) and Dr Isuwa Dogo (Middle Belt), the
leaders said the right to preserve one’s life cannot be under any
exclusive list.
“The attention of the Southern and Middle Belt
Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has been drawn to the illegal diktat by the
Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami SAN declaring
Amotekun, the South-West security (not military or police) outfit
illegal.
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.
“We ask the Governors of the
South-West to ignore Malami and allow him to go to court to challenge
their decision as he cannot constitute himself as a court over elected
governors. We are not under military rule.
The right to preserve
your life cannot be under any exclusive list other than the list of
those who have no value for human lives.
“The ultra vire action
of the AGF has further exposed Nigeria as a country under command and
control and governed by a conquest mentality.
“We ask Malami to tell us what makes Amotekun illegal and Hisbah legal.
“He
should further explain to us what makes Civilian JTF legal in the North
East where there is war and in Zamfara and Katsina and Kano where there
is no war, while Amotekun is his only illegal take.
“This is a defining moment to decide if we are under segregation and different laws in the country,” the statement read.
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