The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said the U-turn made by legal icon, Mr Femi Falana, justified Federal Government’s stance that the establishment of the operation of “Amotekun” was illegal.
A statement issued on Thursday by Dr Umar Gwandu, Malami’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Relations, reiterated that Nigeria’s constitution does not accommodate formation of regional security architecture.
Falana, human rights lawyer, who earlier asked the governors to ignore Malami, had asked Southwest governors to enact laws on Amotekun.
The statement read: “By asking state governments of the Southwestern Nigeria to “proceed to enact the necessary laws”, in justifying the legality of the establishment and operation of Amotekun, Falana is reaffirming federal government’s stance that the establishment of the operation currently is illegal.
“No amount of effort to hide the truth will work. People can be carried away by sentimental or emotional inclinations, but truth remains apparently palpable.
“The bottom line is that the current Nigerian constitution do not accommodate formation of regional security architecture. This is a fact which is undisputable and undeniable
“Falana is prevaricating and circumlocuting using evasive techniques when he was asked by the media to justify the presence of lacuna within the law which can 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 started to eschew emotions by offering legal comments on the matter as against being carried away by other inclinations.
“The office of the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice is committed to the rule of law and a constitutional democratic Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The response came 24 hours after national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, said Amotekun was not a threat to national unity.
Amotekun, a initiative of Southwest Governors, was first declared illegal last Tuesday.