Some Yoruba leaders have slammed the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami over his comments on the recently launched South West security outfit, codenamed Operation Amotekun.
Malami had described the newly launched security outfit as illegal, adding that security remains the exclusive preserve of the Federal Government.
But the Chairman of Afenifere Renewal Group, Chief Olawale Oshun has described Malami’s statement that as rubbish.
Oshun said Malami should also declare Hisbah Corps, a religious police force responsible for the enforcement of Sharia in some Nothern states and Civilian Joint Task Force in the Northeast illegal.
“He is talking arrant nonsense. Let him declare Hisbah police in the 10 Northern states illegal and also let him declare the Civilian Joint Task Force in the Northeast. He is talking rubbish, arrant nonsense. Those are not Nigerian police institutions and they are not Nigerian security institutions but they were created because there is a need; Amotekun was created because there is a need for it. He is talking nonsense,” Oshun said.
The former House of Representatives Chief Whip urged the South West to go ahead with the implementation of Amotekun.
“That is what the people of the region want. The governors must go ahead. This country belongs to all of us. They must go ahead,” he added.
Also, leader of the Yoruba World Congress, Prof. Banji Akintoye, said Malami’s statement shows one thing very conclusively that the people controlling Federal Government do not have the welfare of the people in the South West at heart, saying “we will look at that and decide what we want to do.”
Akintoye, a renowned historian, said the Northerners have created many society-controlled organisations in the north.
“They went to create Sharia policemen that can arrest anybody. We, in the south, never questioned that; nobody in Nigeria questioned that. What we have set up is not another police force. We have not set up anything that conflicts with what the constitution provides for and so, we are in a good condition to defend our interests now, that’s all. The Yoruba people must be ready to defend their interest under the law,” he said.
“This does not mean a confrontation with the Federal government. Lead us now, and we will follow you. Can a man elected by a people from x states refused to defend his people when they are under pressure? The answer is No. the governors have a job to do and we look forward to them to do it and as they do it, they are assured of our supports,” he said.
