The Federal Government has been urged to rescind its declaration that Amotekun is illegal in the overall interest of the country.
The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) through its National Public Relations Officer, Bestman Okereafor, said the newly inaugurated security outfit by the six South-West states presented the best form of community policing for the country.
Okereafor, in a statement in Enugu said the security outfit’s structure, which is from the village hunters to other known vigilance group will work together in line with the Nigerian Police.
According to him, this grassroots-oriented and bottom-up structured as well as an all-involving security framework, which Amotekun presents, is the ideal policing framework for modern policing to checkmate emerging criminality in rural and remote communities.
“The attention of the NYCN has once again been drawn to the position of the Federal Government as regards Amotekun which is a regional security outfit jointly established by the six South-West governors.
“Information at our disposal reveals that Federal Government’s position was disclosed by the Minister for Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, through his special adviser on media, Dr Umar Gwandu, via a statement issued Jan.14 declaring “AMOTEKUN” as illegal.
“Nigerian youths consider this position as unfair and not in line with the principle of egalitarianism being preached by the present APC-led administration.
“As progressive-minded Nigerian youth leadership, we expect the Federal Government to complement the effort of the South-West governors rather than an outright rejection and condemnation of the security outfit,” he said.
Okereafor, however, called on all South-West residents and Nigerian youths at large to remain calm and be peaceful as ever “even as we await the position of the South-West governors and their consultations with the Federal Government on the matter,”
