Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, has lampooned the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government for allegedly approving and purchasing AK47s rifles for local security outfits in Katsina State.
The governor, who is one of the pioneers in the establishment of the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun Corps) in Southwest states, accused the federal government of operating on double standards.
In a statement released on Thursday via his social media page, Akeredolu noted that denying Amotekun the right to legitimately bear arms is a repudiation of the basis of true federalism which they are clamouring for.
The governor stressed that holding back Amotekun from bearing arms is a deliberate destruction of the region’s agricultural sector and a threat to the lives of the citizens considering the growing activities of criminal elements.
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He said: “That Katsina was able to arm its state security force, with the display of AK47 means we are pursuing one country, two systems solution to the national question.
“If the Katsina situation conferring advantages on some, in the face of commonly faced existential threats, it means that our unitary policing system, which has failed, is a deliberate method of subjugation which must be challenged.”
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Akeredolue noted that Nigeria’s independence agreement was based on a democratic arrangement to have a federal state and devolved internal security mechanics.
“We must go back to that agreement,” he said.
He added that not giving the southwest security outfits the right to bear arms exposes the Southwest to life-threatening marauders and organized crime.
“It is also a deliberate destruction of our agricultural sector. It is an existential threat. We want to reiterate, that what is sauce for the goose, is sauce for the gander.”
The statement announced that the Ondo government, under the doctrine of necessity, “have decided to fulfil its legal, constitutional and moral duty to the citizens of the State, by acquiring arms to protect them.”
“This is more so, given that the bandits have an unchecked access to sophisticated weapons. The State government cannot look on while its citizens are being terrorized and murdered with impunity. We will defend our people.”
