Afenifere Berates IGP, FG for Sponsoring Lawlessness in Oyo, Lauds Atiku, Soyinka, Ohaneze, PANDEF, Middle Belt Leaders, Others For Backing Amotekun

The apex Yoruba Socio-Political organisation, Afenifere, has condemned the Inspector General of Police for sponsoring lawlessness in Oyo state of the dissolution of local government chairmen in the state.

Rising after its monthly meeting in Akure in Tuesday, the group in a communique made available by its publicity secretary, Yinka Odumakin said the federal government should bury its head in shame for causing instability in the state.

“Meeting condemned in the strongest terms the lawlessness going on in Oyo State over local government dissolution following the call to self-help by the IGP.

“We are miffed that the AGF is not appraised of the fact that Section 7 of the constitution which provides for the existence, administration and finance of LGs being the duty of states and not the Federal Government.

“Any pupil lawyer should know that you cannot enforce a judgement a state is not a party to. He is forcing a judgement in which Oyo State is not a party to it” he said.

“Besides, there are two cases in court on the Oyo local government crisis that the AGF and IGP should have waited for determination before instigating the lawlessness being precipitated in Oyo State.

“We commend the State Government for the maturity with which it has handled the master and it is encouraged to continue on that line until the court decides.

“The FG should bury its head in shame for being an agent of destabilisation once again.”

On Amotekun, the group said the security outfit has come to stay. They said governors from the south west region has fought a great battle.

“Amotekun is a battle won in Federalism war. Meeting reviewed the recent struggle to assert the right of the South West to establish operation Amotekun and concluded it is a battle won against the imperial Federal Government by the strong will of the west and its freedom-loving friends across Nigeria.

“Meeting further noted that but for the depth of despair unitary rule has sunk Nigeria’s states having security guards should not have been any issue as the 1999 constitution recognises the right of states to protect lives and property and “state” does not mean only Federal Government but states and local governments.

“Meeting observed that only carpenters posing as lawyers would ever say that security is on any exclusive list as there is no law that stops individuals from securing their premises talk less of state actors;

“The jejune argument by spokesmen of our tormentors that the FG has failed to protect us against, that having a security outfit that cuts across states is unacceptable was seen as a non-sequitur as Yoruba are a homogenous group once under a region which Nigeria broke into states.

“Meeting affirmed that Yoruba would find it hard to oppose Amotekun in any other part of Nigeria if it owns Hisbah, Lafiya Dole and harbours Boko Haram and Miyetti Allah that are tormenting the country and making President Trump consider placing Nigeria on travel ban.

“Meeting rejected any attempt to subsume Amotekun under the Community Policing scheme of the Federal Government which is just being informants to the Nigerian Police. Amotekun should be independent in carrying out the security of residents of South West with defined operational cooperation with the police but not its subordinate.

“That while Amotekun has now come to stay there must be no hindrance in the pursuit of a federal Nigeria so we can revert to the multi-level policing status of

Nigeria of the past which saw the Nigerian Railway corporation having its own police.

“In this regard, we are happy with the Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan’s declaration of support for issues in Federalism especially multi-level policing and we enjoin the National Assembly to see it as the urgent business of now.

“Meeting commended the South-West governors for standing firm on Yoruba consensus on Amotemekun without blinking.

“They showed they are proper borns. It equally appreciated our friends in OHANAEZE, PANDEF and MIDDLE BELT FORUM who stood solidly with us.

“Special recognition was taken of those individuals who spoke in clear language at the moment of crisis such as Prof Wole Soyinka, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), Mr Femi Falana, and others too numerous to mention.

“They shamed the agents of backwardness who opposed Amotekun and by extension the right of vulnerable groups in Nigeria to defend their lives.”

The group also expressed concerns over the incessant arson in some of the region biggest markets, saying the development will adversely affect the economy of the region and called for investigations into these infernos.

Afenifere said “meeting expressed concern at the recent fire outbreaks in some of the biggest markets in Yorubaland .

“Such incidents have occurred at Akesan market in Oyo town, Bosi Onabanjo market in Ijebu-Ode, Amu market in Lagos, Sabo market in Sagamu, Bisi Egbeyemi Market in Ekiti and Ojatuntun market in Ile -Ife.

“While we are not coming to the conclusion yet that there is a deliberate sabotage on our economy, we call on our governors to investigate these incidents and increase security around our markets and business facilities.