Gbajabiamila Orders Amendment Of Constitution To Recognize Amotekun

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has ordered the Leader of the House, Hassan Ado Dogwa, to present a bill that will amend the 1999 constitution to recognise the Southwest security outfit, Amotekun and other related security outfits in Nigeria.

Gbajabiamila stated this during his welcome address at the house on Wednesday.

The Speaker in his statement noted that Amotekun was created due to the gaps in the security architecture in the country.

There had been challenges stopping the security outfit from operating after the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, declared Amotekun illegal.

Southwest governors after their meeting with the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and the AGF promised to go back to their state to pass a law in support of the security outfit.

The speaker has now given a directive for the House to commence constitutional amendment to give Amotekun the legal backing.

“Recently, the Governors of Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, Oyo and Ondo states took action to implement a regional security network to support the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in preventing crime and protecting the lives and property of those our citizens who live, work and travel through these states. The establishment of Àmòtékùn, as the network is called, has met with commentary from across the country, both for and against. Too often, it has seemed to me that lost in these interactions is the hard, brutal and unavoidable fact that Àmòtékùn and other such state or zonal interventions that already quietly exist in other parts of the country are a desperate response to the vile manifestations of insecurity that trouble the lives of citizens, depriving them of the peace and security that gives life meaning.”

“I do not know that Àmòtékùn or whatever iterations of it may follow represents the ultimate or perfect solution to the problem of insecurity in our country. Nobody does that. What I do know with absolute clarity and certainty is that the localised manifestations of insecurity across the different parts of our country call for unique and localised approaches that take those peculiarities into account. What I also know, is that whichever approach we seek, we are obligated to work within the limits imposed by the constitution to which we all swear allegiance. Above all else, I am certain in the knowledge that doing nothing is not an option. We have a responsibility as legislators to support the best efforts of those who act with noble intent to protect our citizens.”

“I, therefore, call on the Leader of the House of Representatives and the Minority Leader to take active steps to bring to the floor, appropriate amendments to the constitution that will ensure that these and other righteous interventions to protect the lives and property of our citizens are firmly in compliance with the laws of the land”.

Gbajabiamila condemned the death of CAN chairman in Adamawa State, Lawan Adimi, and Ropvil Dalep Daciya, a student from Plateau State who were both murdered by suspected Boko Haram insurgent.

“All people of conscience mourn the loss of a reverend and a senior member of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Adamawa State, Mr Lawan Adimi, a good and honourable man, who through the church and in his personal capacity served the people of his community earning their reverence and our collective gratitude. In the midst of our mourning, our hearts were broken once more by the release of a video depicting the gruesome assassination of Mr Ropvil Dalep Daciya, a student from Plateau State who was abducted by suspected Boko Haram terrorists on his way back to school at the University of Maiduguri,” he stated.