- AGF says his earlier pronouncement on security network misinterpreted
Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja
After days of intense controversies on the formation of Amotekun, a South-west security network, the federal government and governors from the zone Thursday in Abuja, reached a consensus as they both agreed to come up with a legal framework for the outfit.
Speaking after a two-hour meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in the State House, Chairman of the South-west Governors’ Forum and the governor of Ondo State, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, said they had a fruitful discussion and agreed on the way forward for the security network.
According to Akeredolu, nobody ever attempted to stop Amotekun, disclosing that even the AGF who was reported to have declared the network illegal had clearly stated that his position on the outfit was misunderstood.
The governor described Amotekun as more or less a form of community policing, dismissing insinuations that discussions were not held with the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, before its launch.
Akeredolu recalled that he had earlier stated that political solution would eventually be found to controversies generated by the advent of Amotekun, saying what happened Thursday was a fulfilment of the declaration.
“We had a fruitful discussion at a meeting involving South-west governors presided over by the vice president . The honourable attorney-general and the IG were there. We rubbed minds together and agreed on the way forward – to have a legal framework. We agreed to have a legal framework. Amotekun is more or less like community policing,” Akeredolu said.
On the question on whether lack of consultations fueled the controversy which trailed the launch of Amotekun, he said: “We held discussions with the IG. I had said earlier that we would explore political solution to it. We have looked at that political solution. Even the attorney-general had said that he was misinterpreted. So, at no time did anyone stop Amotekun.”
The launch of Amotekun had generated huge controversies across the country following reports that the AGF had declared the outfit illegal.
The declaration provoked anger in the people of the South-west, who staged peaceful protests across the zone in support of Amotekun on Tuesday, reiterating that there is no going back on the security network.
Osinbajo was believed to have been assigned by the federal government to reach an accord with the governors on the way forward on the network.
The meeting was attended by three South-west governors and three deputy governors.
Present at the meeting were Governors Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and Gboyega Oyetola (Osun) while their counterparts in Lagos, Oyo and Ogun were represented by their deputies.
Also at the meeting were the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, and the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.
