The Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday reached an agreement with South West governors over the establishment of a security outfit, codenamed Operation Amotekun.
YaahooJournalist reports that the agreement was reached during a closed-door meeting between Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria’s Vice President and governors from the south-west of Nigeria.
VP Osinbajo had met with the governors after the expanded National Economic Council (NEC) meeting.
Also in attendance at the meeting were the minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector-General of Police.
YaahooJournalist understands that the federal government and the governors agreed to set up a legal framework to legalise operation Amotekun.
The development came that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami had declared the South-west security outfit illegal.
Malami had said that no other authority at the state level, whether the executive or legislature has the legal authority over defence.
His words: “The setting up of the paramilitary organization called “Amotekun” is illegal and runs contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian law.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) has established the Army, Navy and Airforce, including the Police and other numerous paramilitary organisations for the purpose of the defence of Nigeria.
“As a consequence of this, no State Government, whether singly or in a group has the legal right and competence to establish any form of organization or agency for the defence of Nigeria or any of its constituent parts,” Malami had said.
