Chairman of the South-West Governors Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu, has said that the governors in the region will continue on the Operation Amotekun project.
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, had on Tuesday declared the security outfit launched by the governors as illegal.
Speaking on Wednesday at the 2020 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration in Akure, Ondo State capital, Akeredolu said the governors intend to see the initiative succeed.
“We the six South-West governors are fully prepared to ensure that operation Amotekun succeeds. Amotekun is not a para-military outfit, the introduction of the security outfit is to complement the efforts of other security agencies. We are prepared to ensure operation Amotekun succeeds. Operation Amotekun is not a paramilitary outfit,” he said.
“It is in our quest to further curtail the menace of kidnapping, banditry and other crimes in Ondo State and the entire Southwest region that we launched Operation Amotekun.
“It is one of the many solutions being proffered to our security challenges in Western Nigeria. We want to assure you that the activities of the personnel working for the outfit will be monitored and streamlined along with their mandate of securing lives and property of people of Ondo State and entire Western Nigeria and it will not be used for political purposes.”
Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, told Daily Trust Television that the debate over Amotekun should not be about possible misuse by governors.
“That initiatives are springing up points to the fact that citizens are not happy with the security situation in the land,” he said.
“Did the Federal Government not misuse police in 2014? I was a sitting governor, I had immunity, I was assaulted. Go into history books. What we should be talking about is how to make sure the security institution is accountable within the frameworks of democratic control.”
