Still on Amotekun – by Frank Ofili
240 viewsAmotekun is a good idea. It need not die. It has the prospect of addressing the daunting insecurity challenges facing us as a nation.
I like the idea behind Amotekun.
However, the hot words being thrown at AGF Malami notwithstanding, there are some legitimate concerns associated with Amotekun, especially where bearing arms is concerned
I would like wise counsel to prevail so that the idea can be realized.
I would like the promoters of Amotekun to do one of two things towards realising it.
One, sue the Federal Government for stopping it. Yes, let there be a judicial pronouncement on its legality or otherwise.
Or two, legislate the outfit into existence. Perhaps this is where Malami based his pronouncement on as the outfit being illegal, because there is no legal framework for it yet.
If a region of a country comprising six states come together to put together a security outfit, surely it should be backed by an Act. In this case, neither the National Assembly nor the State Houses of Assembly have enacted a law to back Amotekun.
Nigeria does not operate a regional system of government which would have necessitated a regional legislature to legislate Amotekun into being, unless of course the six partnering states of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti individually want to enact laws to back it as is the case with Hisbah up north.
All said and done, if I was AGF Malami, I would not have come out openly to pronounce Amotekun illegal. Why? Because he is not a court of law. Only a court can pronounce something legal or illegal. Little wonder his pronouncement is generating negative emotions in the south-west.
Malami should have simply kept his mouth shut and sue the six states to the Supreme Court. From there, a judicial interpretation and pronouncement on the legal status of Amotekun would have been made. But what do I know?
One thing is clear. The country is facing serious insecurity challenges, and something has to happen. Any idea or suggestion to curb the prevailing state of insecurity is welcome.
Amotekun is one such idea. It should not die. All the same, it should be properly legislated into being so that should there be unintended fallouts of its existence in future, it can be legally addressed.
Let wisdom prevail on both sides. This is as I see it.