AMOTEKUN: Onuesoke Faults Federal Government On Its Position
"Complement the efforts of the South-west governors rather than an outright rejection and condemnation of the security outfit".
The position of the Federal Government to go against the inauguration of the Western Nigeria Security Network, WNSN, by the six governors of the Southwest region to checkmate banditry, kidnapping and other crimes including social vices, has been faulted by a prominent and very vocal chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Chief Sunny Onuesoke, an environmental expert and also a former governorship aspirant in Delta state has faulted the position of the Federal Government on the Southwest security outfit codenamed, Operation Amotekun.
Describing the Federal Government's position as unfair, Onuesoke said this was not in tandem with the principle of egalitarianism as being preached by the present All Progressive Congress (APC)-led administration.
Making this known yesterday on the side line at Ibadan, Oyo State during a security workshop, Chief Onuesoke noted that the use of village hunters and vigilante personnel as adopted by the security outfit, presented the best form of community policing.
The PDP Chieftain stated that the grassroots-oriented and bottom-up structured as well as an all-involving security framework, which Amotekun presents, is the ideal policing framework for modern policing to checkmate emerging criminality in rural and remote communities.
Onuesoke argued that it is out of place for the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami to say the machinery setting up Ametokun is unconstitutional when the Civil Defence, Civilian JTF and sharia police that are of similar background and outlook were already in existence.
He maintained that the right to preserve and protect one’s life can never be in the exclusive list of any government.
“Why do people employ guards in their houses? For security. Why do Community Development Associations (CDAs) employ guards to secure streets and areas? To ensure protection of lives and property. Is that initiative in the exclusive list of the constitution? No", he argued.
He pointed out that the Federal Government is expected to complement the efforts of the South-west governors rather than an outright rejection and condemnation of the security outfit.
“As far as I am concerned, Amotekun could be illegal but only if the Nigerian police are up to the task of protecting the lives and property of the citizenry. Are they? Far from it. So it becomes common sense to come together and secure our homes and property. This shouldn't give anyone sleepless night, as a matter of fact, it should be supported and commended unless it goes against the laid down rules.
“If security is the exclusive preserve of the federal government as disclosed by Malami, why do state governors have security vote?. Security is daily becoming a big challenge in Nigeria, because of the lack of intelligence gathering and follow up actions, amongst the relevant security outfits and this is where Operation Amotekun fits in", he stated.
Onuesoke, however, called on all South-west residents and Nigerian youths at large to remain calm and be peaceful as ever "even as they await the position of the South-west governors and their consultations with the Federal Government on the matter".
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