Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) on Thursday, said the state under the doctrine of necessity, had decided to fulfil its legal, constitutional and moral duty to the citizens of the state, by acquiring sophisticated weapons, to protect them.
This was contained in a statement personally signed by the governor, where he lampooned the federal government for allegedly playing double standards with the nation’s security.
Akeredolu, in a statement titled: “We Believe in One Nigeria, But We Cannot Have One Country, Two Systems”, wondered why Amotekun, a Southwest regional security outfit, could not bear sophisticated weapons despite continuous call for such, but her counterpart in Katsina State, established to tame bandits and terrorists, are bearing AK47.
The statement read: “The video making the rounds showing the equivalent of the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun Corps) in Katsina, obtaining the approval of the federal government to bear arms is fraught with great dangers. Denying Amotekun the urgently needed rights, to legitimately bear arms is a repudiation of the basis of true federalism, which we have been clamouring for.
“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.
“The 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,” Akeredolu stressed.
Akeredolu, who is the chairman of the South West Governors’ Forum, explained that denying Amotekun the right to bear arms, exposed the Southwest to life-threatening marauders and organised crime, and it was a deliberate destruction of the region’s agricultural sector and an existential threat.
“We want to reiterate, that what is sauce for the goose, is sauce for the gander. Ondo State government under the doctrine of necessity has 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 terrorised and murdered with impunity. We will defend our people,” Akeredolu added.
Fidelis David in Akure