The presidency has apparently said NO to the insistence by the governor of Ondo State, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu that he would arm the personnel of Southwest Security Network, code-named Amotekun in his state.
Recall that during the passing-out parade of courses 3 and 4 of the State Amotekun Corps in Akure, Ondo State on Monday September 26, Akeredolu stated the state was being threatened by brazen conflict entrepreneurs as well as armed and audacious non-state actors.
Earlier in an article, the governor alleged that southwest states applied for and got a no for its Amotekun from the federal government while Katsina State got a yes for its security outfit to bear military-grade weapons.
He asserted that state security outfits backed by law, whether in western Nigeria, Katsina, Borno, Benue or any northern state, must have access to the same sophisticated weapons that marauders possess.
Responding to the governor’s claims, presidential spokesman, Mr. Garba Shehu said no state’s security forces have been permitted to use automatic rifles such as AK-47s.
In a released made available to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Shehu said even in the case of Katsina State sited by Akeredolu, the state governor, Mr. Aminu Masari wrote to explain that the administration invited the provost of the Civil Defence Training College in Katsina to train their vigilantes for a five-day period “in the handling and operations of pump action rifles.”
He emphasised that the vigilantes were not trained to take over the responsibilities of the security agencies of the country but to assist them.
The statement:
No state has approval or authorisation for automatic weapons
The Presidency wishes to strongly assert that there is no state, not Katsina, not any other state in the federation that has been authorised to procure automatic weapons for their security outfits.
Under this administration, the president has repeatedly made it clear that nobody is allowed to illegally carry AK-47 or any other automatic weapons and that they must surrender them.
Where they fail to do so, the law enforcement agencies have been given clear directives to deal with any such outlaws.
Under the existing regulations, only the office of the national security adviser can issue such authorisation, upon proper clearance by the president and commander-in-chief and as it is at this moment, no such approvals have been issued to any state government.
In the specific Katsina State often cited, the Governor, Aminu Bello Masari wrote to explain that the administration invited the Provost of the Civil Defence Training College in Katsina to train their Vigilantes for a five-day period “in the handling and operations of Pump Action Rifles,” emphasizing that “the Vigilantes were not trained to take over the responsibilities of the security agencies of the federal government of Nigeria but to assist them.”
The presidency appreciates the active involvement of states with security matters.
As they continue to expand their capabilities as well as their active collaboration with law enforcement agencies of the federation, the joint efforts continue to yield good results, thwarting attempts of terrorists to wreak havoc and destruction on communities.
The President in particular has expressed happiness that in the last couple of years, security outfits mandated by state governments have been associated with several important initiatives, and reports have reached him of acts of utmost bravery and professionalism.
He thanks them for their alertness that is helping to defeat nefarious plots against targets at grassroots levels.
He, however, cautions against the politicization of security.
Government at the centre with a national mandate cannot afford to alienate Ondo State or any other state for that matter on the important issue of security and urges leaders at various levels to exercise restraint in their speech, even as we are in a political season.
