One of Nigeria’s foremost political party, Alliance for New Nigeria, ANN, has cautioned both political and regional leaders involved in the South West regional security outfit code-named Operation Amotekun.
The leading opposition party, in a release on Saturday, by its spokesperson, Akinloye, called for caution due to brickbats that ensued between the federal government, the south west stakeholders and other Nigerians over the issue.
The South West governors have come together to establish the security outfit to compliment the Nigeria Police in curbing the excessive spate of kidnappings, robberies and other crimes that have been threatening the lives, properties and economies of Nigerians in that region of the country. An effort the Attorney-General of the Federation, through his aide declared illegal and undoable.
Oyeniyi commended the efforts of the governors saying Section 275, Part V of the Criminal Code provides that it is lawful for Nigerians who have witnessed a breach of peace to interfere in order to prevent its continuance or renewal, but must carry out such force as is reasonably necessary for such prevention and is reasonably proportioned to the danger to be apprehended from such continuance or renewal. Any person who is even committing or who is about to join in or to renew the breach of the peace can be detained for such time as may be reasonably necessary in order to give them into the custody of the police.
So, it could not have been out of ordinary that the security outfit was formed to compliment community policing. That is why we are calling on all involved to critically look at it from the perspective of securing Nigeria.
We have read from some quarters including the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation declaring the scheme illegal because it was not stated in the constitution or enacted in any law, but one thing we should know is that neither the 1999 Constitution (as amended) or any other laws frown on establishing such complimeting outfit. Apart from the legal backing in the Criminal Code, neither Sections 214 to 216 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) nor the Section 10 of Police Act negated giving the Nigeria Police helping hands in carrying out its duty or giving it any exclusivity in security lives and properties in Nigeria.
So, our position is very clear; whatever will restore peace and tranquility in the country will have our support; and that is why we are calling on all stakeholders to let us see how the nation can profit from such venture rather than turning it into an item of internal conflict, Oyeniyi said.
Akinloye Oyeniyi, National Publicity Secretary, Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN)
