Southern, Middle Belt leaders urge South West governors to ignore Malami’s directive on Amotekun

Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) have urged the South West governors to ignore the directive of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami on Amotekun.
The minister had declared the South West security outfit as illegal but the group said the minister lacked the power to go against the decision of elected governors.
The leaders in a statement therefore described the statement of the minister as an abuse of power.
The statement was signed by Yinka Odumakin, South West; Gen CRU Iherike, South East; Senator Bassey Henshaw, South South and Dr. Isuwa Dogo, Middle Belt.
SMBLF leaders stated: “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 a court over elected governors. We are not under military rule.
“We insist that what the Governors have done is what individuals and neighborhoods can legally do to secure their lives and property.
“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 vires 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.”
Also speaking in the same vein, a leader of Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Ayo Adebanjo has said the Federal Government has no right to declare Amotekun illegal.
The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami had on Tuesday declared Amotekun illegal, saying security remains the exclusive preserve of the Federal Government.
He said the new security outfit put together by governors to address kidnapping, banditry and other criminalities in the region would not be allowed to operate because the governors did not consult the federal government before launching the “paramilitary” outfit.
The AGF also accused the governors of “bringing avoidable trouble upon their shoulders.”
Speaking with TheCable, Adebanjo, who stated that the AGF has no right to make such pronouncement, pointed out that the Federal Government ought to have gone to the court if it had anything against the outfit.
The elder statesman wondered why the one in the south is considered illegal while similar civilian organisations were operating in the north.
Adebanjo, who said he was not surprised by the comment made by the AGF, added that any dictatorial tendency of the Federal Government was welcomed.
“I have predicted it, so they are only confirming all that I have said about Buhari’s dictatorial tendency.
“The judiciary is established to adjudicate between persons and between governments. I have said it before that this is not a government of the people; it is the military government of the north by Buhari. It is a dictatorship per se,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Ondo State government said on Tuesday night that it would react to Malami’s directive when it is officially informed about the Federal Government’s stance on Operation Amotekun.
The Special Adviser to the state governor on Security Matters, Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo, said the government had not been informed of the development.
He said: “We are yet to be informed, but if truly the federal government declares it illegal, my principal and other governors in the South West would have to meet and decide on what to do next.
“I cannot say anything yet until after the southwest governors meet and make a position on the matter.”