Support Amotekun, Lose 2023 Presidency – Miyetti Allah Warns South-west Govs
Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, the umbrella body of Herdsmen, has warned South-west Governors against the establishment of the south-western security outfit called Operation Amotekun.
Naijaparry recalls that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, had asked south-west governors to disband the security outfit.
He said that no other authority at the state level, whether the executive or legislature has the legal authority over defence.
“The setting up of the paramilitary organization called “Amotekun” is illegal and runs contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian law.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) has established the Army, Navy and Airforce, including 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 defence of Nigeria or any of its constituent parts,” Malami said.
Speaking in an interview with The Punch on Wednesday, the National Secretary of the group, Alhassan Saleh said Miyetti Allah was disappointed in the South-West intelligentsia for supporting the outfit, adding that such support may cost the region the 2023 presidency.
He said, “This Amotekun scheme is political and is not the solution to the problem of insecurity. What the South-West governors should have done is to continue to push for state police. Where did they expect to get the funding from at a time some of them are struggling to pay salaries?
“It is best they give up on this idea because it may affect the chances of the South-West to produce the President in 2023. The thinking is that if the South-West, a major stakeholder in this government, can be toying with this idea now, they may do worse when they get to power.”
Saleh also commended AGF Abubakar Malami for describing Amotekun as an illegal outfit and calling for it to be disbanded.
“We are in agreement with the AGF that Amotekun is illegal. In fact, we are unhappy that it took the AGF this long to react,” he said.