The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) has restated that the South West Security Network (SWSN) also known as Amotekun was not backed by any known law and remains illegal.
Malami's spokesman, Umar Jibrilu Gwandu quoted the
Government has already issued its stance through a statement rooted in the law and the constitution.
Gwnadu said: 'According to Malami regional security architectural arrangement by states is not tolerated by the
Gwnadu further quoted Maina as saying : 'The planning, execution, consummation of whatever security arrangement must be naturally grounded in law, rooted in the constitution and tolerated by the Law' maintaining that 'for any arrangement to stand within the law, the bottom line is that constitutionality and legality must be factored.
'Provided that there is an aberration relating to constitutional compliance, I think the right thing to do is to ensure constitutionality and legality both in spirit, planning, concept and consummation.'
He added: 'On the issue of state governments making efforts towards legislation that would back the operation of Ametokun, the
'If you are taking of regional arrangement, for example, at what point did the state assemblies come together as a region for the purpose of coming up with a statue or a law that can operate within the context of the
Gwandu added that
He further quoted the
'Working together, helping the Federal Government in the provision of security is indeed a welcome development but it has to be rooted in the law and within the context of working arrangement with institutions constitutionally established and not a unilateral exclusive arrangement by a regional body'.
'In the circumstances of Ametokun, it is the idea of unilateral control that it is the problem without recourse to the institutional and constitutional arrangement that is put in place by our constitutions.
'You can, indeed provide whatever support and consideration but definitely it must be rooted in the Constitutional arrangement and so self-help by way of unilateral arrangement cannot be tolerated with particular reference to regional arrangement which is not rooted in the
'Responding to claim that some state governors from some regions have *been* making efforts to establish regional security apparatus in their regions, the Minister said the 'the law is universal. It is not exclusive to a zone or a region in its application.
The universality of the law will naturally prevail in ensuring that due processes are indeed complied with.'
In an earlier statement, Gwandu argued that a recent statement attributed to
He said: 'By asking for the state governments of the
'No amount of effort to hide the truth will work. People could be carried away by sentimental or emotional inclinations, but truth remains apparently palpable.
'The bottom line is that the current
'Mr. Falana was prevaricating and circumlocuting using evasive techniques when he was asked by the media to justify the presence of lacuna within the law which could establish or protect the concept of regionalism in any operation in the country.
'He was unable to supply answer to the question and failed to cite relevant laws that back the argument.
'It is interesting that no matter the situation truth prevails. This arrangement called Amotekun is not backed by any law neither at the State nor at the Federal Government level. Amotekun, therefore, remains unconstitutional and illegal as already indicated.
'The Federal Government appreciates that legally minded Nigerians have start to eschew emotions by offering legal comments on the matter as against being carried away by other inclinations.
'The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice is committed to the rule of law and a constitutional democratic
© Pakistan Press International, source