Moses Ofodeme
The Ekiti State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice; Olawale Fapohunda, has said that the South West security outfit, Amotekun will bear licensed arms.
He confirmed this after a meeting of the Attorney Generals from the South-West zone held in Ibadan; the Oyo State capital, on Friday, February 7.
Fapohunda said each of the Commissioners for Justice in the zone agreed at the meeting in Ibadan to insert a clause; which empowers the Amotekun Corps to carry only licensed firearms in the Bill for an act backing up the initiative.
This move, however, is subject to the approval of the Inspector-General of Police, Adamu Mohammed.
He said a Bill for a law to support the security initiative was ready; adding that the draft bill would be presented to the six Houses of Assembly in the zone, with Ekiti presenting the bill to the lawmakers on Wednesday.
He further revealed that they agreed on the modalities to guide the operations of Amotekun in the states.
Speaking on the similarities of the Bill across the zone, Fapohunda said: “based on our histories and current realities, each of the six states has individual needs and expectations from the law.
“The model Amotekun Bill adopted by us appropriately reflects these expectations and is flexible enough to accommodate individual circumstances. We were also guided by international standards and best practices in the field of community policing.”
Also speaking on the mode of operation for the Amotekun Corps, Oyo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice; Professor Oyelowo Oyewo said recruited personnel would be guided by existing constitutional regulations on the carrying of arms.
He stressed that the Amotekun corps would complement the existing security agencies; while there would be collaboration among state corps in their operation.
He added that local intelligence would form the basis of the operational manual for the corps.
“We have been able to come up with a legal framework; to back up such establishment of security network in each of the states. So, each of the states will have its own legislation and its own security network corps; that will bear the name Amotekun Corps.
“There will be a standard operational procedure that will also be in common and there will be an avenue for collaboration among the states.
“We will be depending on our local people because of local intelligence. You can say it is community policing, vigilante but this security system under the name of Amotekun Corps has come to stay.
“Carrying of arms is regulated by law and the Amotekun outfit will comply with all the laws of the land. The operation manual will accompany the bills to each of the state Houses of Assembly,” Oyelowo said.
