AGF Malami Hits Falana, Insists Amotekun Is ‘Unconstitutional And Illegal’

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has said the controversial South West security outfit ‘Amotekun’ remains illegal regardless of how anyone tries to coat it.

Malami was responding to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, who had asked the South-West governors who initiated the security outfit to submit bills to the houses of assembly in their states to provide legal backing for Amotekun.

Falana made the suggestion to the governors after AGF Malami issued an earlier statement declaring Amotekun as illegal.

“Although I had cause to take issue with Mr Malami over his legal opinion on the security outfit, I was compelled to call on each of the South-West governors to forward a bill to the house of assembly of each state for the formation of Amotekun,” Falana had said in a statement on Wednesday.

But responding on Thursday, the AGF said his stance on Amotekun remains the same.

“By asking for the state governments of the Southwestern Nigeria to proceed to enact the necessary laws, in justifying the legality of the establishment and operation of Amotekon, Mr. Femi Falana is reaffirming and reiterating the Federal Government’s stance that the establishment of the operation currently is illegal,” the AGF said through his spokesperson, Umar Gandu.

“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 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not accommodate formation of regional security architecture. This is a fact which is undisputable and undeniable.

“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.”