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Speakers of the Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Lagos, Ekiti and Osun states met in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital yesterday.
They reviewed the ongoing controversy over the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun amongst other issues. Though their meeting was the regular South West speakers’ conference, the issue of Amotekun became the major point of discussion among the chief lawmakers.
It was also gathered that the attorneys general of the six states met in the same city yesterday to take a stand on the security outfit. The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oyo State, Prof. Oyelowo Oyewo, hosted his counterparts at the state secretariat, Ibadan.
After extensive review of the legal aspects of Operation Amotekun, the commissioners set up a three-member committee to thoroughly study the outfit and come up with the best way to provide legal backing for it, if necessary. They have two weeks to submit their report.
According to reports, the speakers got a briefing on Operation Amotekun and thereafter deliberated extensively on it. They are to give any bill on the outfit a smooth and expedited passage if any of such is forwarded to the assemblies.
The speakers also deliberated on autonomy for the state assemblies. They agreed to support any effort to actualise it.
Amotekun, which was launched in Ibadan on January 9, has become controversial due to its declaration as illegal by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN). The minister declared it illegal on January 14, saying it flouted some sections of the Nigerian constitution.