BREAKING: Lagos Assembly passes Amotekun law

 AgegePulse

Lagos State House of Assembly at plenary on Tuesday passed the bill to create Amotekun Corps as a special unit of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps.


It passed the bill after taking the third reading of the amendment to the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps Agency Law 2019.

The amendment bill had successfully gone through all the different stages of lawmaking ,which includes first and second reading, holding public hearing, laying and presentation of committees report, adoption of report by House, third reading and finally passage.



Details shortly…

The Nation

Germany's Top Lawmaker Express Optimism In Amotekun Bill

AgegePulse Magazine

Thorsten Frei, Obasa,

The Deputy Majority Leader of the German Federal Parliament, Mr. Thorsten Frei, on Thursday expressed optimism in Amotekun, a security outfit established by governors from the South West zone to protect the region.

Frei, who is also the Deputy Chairman federal parliamentary group spoke about the security outfit when he paid a courtesy visit to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

He said his visit had to do with 'Legislative Work at State Level'.

Frei, who is also a top functionary of the Christian Democratic Union, the Ruling Party in Germany, expressed his pleasure at the pace of development in Lagos.

Speaking with the team, Speaker Obasa expressed delight that Lagos is rated positively across the world.

The Speaker assured that there was nothing to fear about Lagos State and its safety.

Obasa, who is also the chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures, described Lagos as a safe state and assured the foreign lawmakers and other prospective investors that that the state is calmer than many big cities of the world.

On the delegation to the Lagos State House of  Assembly was Ms.Alexander Herr, the Deputy Consul General of the German Consulate in Lagos.

IGP, Southwest Governors agree on Amotekun

AgegePulse Magazine

 …‘Amotekun To Run As State-Led Effort, Not Regional Initiative’

…Lagos Govt Hosts Security Meeting On Community Policing


The Southwest Regional Security Operation code-named Operation Amotekun has finally been adopted by Governors of all states in the Southwest and the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

The Southwest Governors’ Forum told the IGP Muhammed Adamu in Lagos on Thursday that, the development would spring up fresh efforts to secure local communities.

The Forum spoke through its chairman and Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, at the Southwest Security Meeting on Community Policing convened at the instance of the IGP.

The meeting was held on Thursday at the Banquet Hall of the Lagos State Government in Alausa.

At the end of the meeting, which held for about two hours behind closed doors, the IGP and representatives of each State okayed the framework of Southwest Regional Security Network (otherwise known as Operation Amotekun), but initiative will not be run as a regional security operations, as initially suggested. It will be state-led effort, the IGP said.

Also, the meeting ratified community policing model proposed by the IGP and the initiative would be complementing Operation Amotekun and conventional police operations in all local communities.

The host and Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said the security gathering was part of extensive meetings with the police leadership on adopting new strategies and initiatives towards securing lives and property of people in the Southwest.

Lagos Government, Sanwo-Olu said, will continue to champion initiatives and frameworks that continue to provide support and logistics required for effective policing in the region.

Akeredolu said the meeting was of “great importance” to the people of Southwest, confirming that the Forum had a fruitful discussion with the IGP.

Speaking on the outcome, Akeredolu said: “The Governors of Southwest and the IGP have held a very fruitful discussion and it is clear now to all of us that, community policing, which the Nigeria Police is anchoring is one that will benefit all of us. We have chosen that we will embrace community in its entirety.

“In addition, we have spoken and we want everyone to know that, Amotekun was not conceived as a regional police, but a state-based security outfit. We have come out of this meeting happy and we have agreed on the resolution. We have shed lights on dark areas and we are on the same page with the police with respect to these issues.”

IGP Adamu substantiated Akeredolu’s claim, saying the participants at the meeting had fine-tuned Operation Amotekun and adopted it to be state-led initiative and not regional.

He said: “This is the second meeting we have held with the Governors of Southwest region concerning the creation of Operation Amotekun. The just concluded meeting was to discuss and fine-tune Amotekun. Out conclusion is what the chairman of Southwest Governors’ Forum has explained.

“Amotekun is not a regional security outfit. Every state has one form of security arrangement, whether it is vigilante or neighbourhood watch that are working security agencies in the states to fight crime. Amotekun is not different from these initiatives. We have agreed that community policing strategy be infused into the Amotekun structure, so that policing will be initiative of the community members.”

Adamu said the police would be part of the recruitment, training and deployment of personnel to be assigned for Amotekun operations, adding that the initiative would work in complementary with community policing model.

The IGP said policing must start with the public, urging members of the public to unite and form an alliance against criminals in their communities.

He said the police would support the residents’ effort to keep their communities safe, but added any decision to be taken must come from the public.

The IGP praised Lagos Government for adopting a community-led policing arrangement, saying Lagos remained an example where “a good structure” of community policing had been effective.

Amotekun: Guideline On How outfit will operate in Southwest states

AgegePulse Magazine

 Robert Egbe


DETAILS of the operational guideline of the Southwest security outfit, Operation Amotekun, has emerged.

According to the draft bill for the security outfit which is before state legislatures, obtained by The Nation, a governing board with sweeping powers will oversee the security outfit in each of the states.



But the day-to-day activity will be run by the Amotekun corps commander, to be appointed by the governor.

It is a uniform bill that will be passed by each of the six states of Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti legislatures.

The Operation Amotekun in each of the states will work as separate entities unlike the planned regional structure.

However, they will collaborate with one another, sharing intelligence and meeting quarterly or as decided, to secure the region.

A section of the bill states that the commander “will hold meeting with the counterpart in other states in the region on a quarterly basis or as may be collectively determined by the corps commander in those states.



The bill adds that the functions of the security agency include collaborating with and assisting the Police and other security network agencies in gathering information about crime and maintaining law and order.

It shall also have powers of arrest and prosecution of persons suspected or involved in kidnapping, terrorism, cattle rustling, cultism, highway robbery and other criminal activities.

Its day and night patrol will cover all major roads, remote areas, hinterland, forests and inland waterways in the region.

The Amotekun Corps shall have the power to bear licensed arms subject to the approval of the inspector general of Police.

The bill also states that Operation Amotekun shall have power to identify, arrest and register offenders, but such suspects must be “promptly handed over to the nearest police station or post.”

They will also be empowered to disarm unauthorised persons in possession of arms and other dangerous weapons.


Section 19 of the bill stated that all Nigerians with integrity, irrespective of their ethnic group, are eligible to join Amotekun, provided they are without criminal record and are endorsed by local authorities.

The bill also provides for the establishment of an Independent Corps Compliants Board comprised of three members, including a chairman who should be a retired judge or magistrate.

The board shall have power to investigate complaints against the operations of the security outfit.

The funding of the security outfit shall be through subvention from the state governments, gifts and donations from individuals and corporate bodies and any other money or property, which may in any way became payable to or vested in the agency.

The Oyo State Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Oyelowo Oyewo, said yesterday.

“The gist of the bill is that it establishes a security network agency with a board and in Section 3 of it, it specifically allows for the contiguous states within the Southwest to collaborate with each other. So, this bill is to enable the Southwest governors to deliver on their constitutional responsibilities under Section 4 of the 1999 constitutional that imposes the obligation for the protection of lives and property, not only on the federal government but for the state and local government.

“So, we have a situation where these network is established to complement the police and security agencies in the light of the insecurity incidence, not only in the Southwest, but all over Nigeria. It must be noted that the primary obligation for policing in the constitution is vested in the Nigeria Police,  but there are also constitutional obligations imposed on the state and government at the local level to ensure security or lives and property and this is what is taking place. It is a complementary Security network outfit.

“The laws allow for collaborations between the zonal and state commanders of each state. For instance, Oyo State Commander can collaborate with the Osun State Commander and of course, that can also extend to all the six Southwest states, if there is a common threat that arises within the zone.

On arms bearing, the Commissioner for Justice said: “There is a provision in the Amotekun law that is in compliance with the extant laws in Nigeria to bear arms and that is the seeking the President’s permit. So, you can’t bear arms without permit.”

Amotekun personnel: South-West govs to write IG for gun licence

AgegePulse Magazine

There were indications on Sunday that the South-West state executive councils would on Wednesday discuss the bills on Amotekun corps.

It was gathered that a security network agency would be established in each state to oversee the Amotekun corps.

The Ondo State Attorney General, Kola Olawoye, said after the passage of the bill, each state would apply to the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu,  for a gun licence  for the Amotekun corps.


The South-West governors, had at a summit organised by the Development Agenda for Western Agenda on January 9 agreed to set up Operation Amotekun to address killings and kidnapping in the zone.

The Federal Government initially said the security outfit was illegal, but  during a meeting in Abuja attended by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; the South-West governors and the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, both the FG and the governors agreed that the South-West states should give a legal  backing to the security outfit.



The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Ekiti State, Wale Fapohunda,  in an interview with The PUNCH, confirmed that the bill for a law establishing Amotekun corps  provided for the establishment of a security network agency to oversee the operations of the corps.

Fapohunda, who said the Amotekun bill for Ekiti State was ready, stated  that the state  Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, had directed that it should be presented to the state executive council on Wednesday.

Punch

Amotekun: South-West Governors Vows To Continue With Operation

AgegePulse Magazine

Chairman of the South West governors forum, Rotimi Akeredolu has vowed that the six governors would pursue operation Amotekun to a logical conclusion.

Apparently reacting to the pronouncement of the Federal government that the concept was illegal, Akeredolu who spoke at the 2020 armed forces remembrance day celebration in Akure, the Ondo state capital said there was no going back.

“We the six south west governors are fully prepared to ensure that operation Amotekun succeeds.

“Amotekun is not a para-military outfit, the introduction of the security outfit is to Compliment the efforts of other security agencies.

We are prepared to ensure operation Amotekun succeeds. Operation Amotekun is not a paramilitary outfit”.

Reaffirming, the need for the security outfit, governor Akeredolu said “It is in our quest to further curtail the menace of kidnapping, banditry and other crimes in Ondo State and the entire Southwest region that we launched Operation “Amotekun” .

“It is one of the many solutions being proffered to our security challenges in Western Nigeria.

“We want to assure you that the activities of the personnel working for the outfit will be monitored and streamlined along their mandate of securing lives and property of people of Ondo State and entire Western Nigeria and it will not be used for political purposes.

In another development, Ekiti state governor, Kayode Fayemi while speaking on Daily Trust Television, was quoted as saying that the issue now should not be about whether Federal Government or governors can misuse Police or any security outfit.

Explaining the logic behind the setting up of the security outfit, Fayemi said “power, unrestrained is always misused. “That initiatives are springing up points to the fact that citizens are not happy with the security situation in the land.”
Does the Federal government not misuse Police in 2014? I was a sitting Governor, I had immunity; I was assaulted. Go into history books. What we should be talking about is how to make sure the security institution is accountable within the frameworks of democratic control.

“It is not about whether the Federal Government or governors can misuse Police. Power, unrestrained is always misused. That different initiatives are springing up points to the fact that citizens are not happy with the security situation in the land.

“Governors have a duty and responsibility that are spelt out in the constitution: The security and welfare of the citizens should be their number one priority.

“So, if people in my own area of jurisdiction are saying “ we don’t know what you are doing”, should something not be done? We are funding Police, we are buying vehicles, we are buying security gadgets, we are paying allowances, yet we don’t get enough security.

“There is nothing unique about what we are doing. I am glad that Governor Lalong said “we haven’t seen the details of what you are doing but we are working on a similar arrangement in our own area.

Meanwhile, speaking on the armed forces remembrance day, Akeredolu said that the nation remained grateful for the selfless service of the Armed Forces through their contributions and sacrifice.

Akeredolu described the annual Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration as a unique opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices made in the past years by the Nigeria Armed Forces to ensure global and internal peace and security of lives and properties.

He also thanked the entire members the Nigeria Armed Forces for controlling crime before, during and after the yuletide period through “Operation Crocodile Smile”.

The Governor said the relentless efforts of the members of the nation’s Armed Forces is beginning to yield positive result in the state and the country in general.

DailyTimes