Yemisi Izuora
The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Abiodun Ige Gani Adams, has challenged threats of the Federal Government to shut down the security architecture of the six South West States, Amotekun, saying such move is illegal.
Adams said this in a letter he sent to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over the Federal Government’s stance on Amotekun on Wednesday.
Malami had on Tuesday described the security outfit as illegal, saying it must be wound down immediately.
But reacting in the letter to Malami, Iba Adams said the position of the Federal Government was disturbing.
He said the move by the South West Governors violated no known Nigerian law and that the Yoruba race has a right to protect itself.
The letter reads in full:
Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN)
Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Justice Minister,
Abuja.
Dear Sir
PROTEST OVER YOUR ILLEGAL ORDER TO SOUTH-WEST GOVERNORS
I find it disturbing your statement of Tuesday January14, 2020 declaring the security initiative of South-West governors ‘Amotekun’ as illegal.
You also threatened that the full course of the law will be applied to anybody promoting the Amotekun security initiative.
May be you have forgotten. I need to remind you that you are the Attorney-General of the country, not a section of the country.
So, your outburst against the governors who were elected, not selected or appointed, is against the spirit of the 1999 Constituted (as amended).
The right to life is universal and no government can legislate against that. I don’t need to bother you about killings, kidnappings, banditry and other criminal vices in the South-West recently.
Even Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, the daughter of Yoruba leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, was killed and nobody has been arrested in respect of all these killings.
One thing is clear: Nigerians have the right to protect themselves. Not only that: South-West people have a right to protect and defend themselves against attacks.
Amotekun is an initiative by the South-West governors to defend our people.
Where you are getting it wrong is this: The Amotekun initiative has nothing to do with the territorial integrity of Nigeria. If there is a breach of the territorial integrity of the country, the military will come in immediately.
So, nobody is rising against Nigeria, as your letter to the governors, directly or indirectly, implied.
What is happening is that our people no longer feel safe because the land has been invaded by some elements from within and outside the country.
It is unfortunate that rather than praise the governors, you are condemning their action, thereby strengthening the hands of those who believe the Federal Government is against some sections of the country.
As a lawyer and a Senior Advocate, you should know that you are not the law. You are only the Attorney-General, not a court.
