Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has insisted that though he believes in one Nigeria, such a Nigeria cannot be a country where laws are applied differently to different groups.
The governor, who was reacting to a video of a vigilante group obtaining AK-47 rifles in Katsina State, argued that it’s untenable to allow vigilante groups in the North to bear sophisticated weapons, but deny those in the south the same period privileges.
“The video making the rounds showing the equivalent of the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun Corps) in Katsina, obtaining the approval of the Federal Govt. to bear arms is fraught with great dangers,” Akeredolu said in a statement, yesterday. 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 AK-47, means we are pursuing ‘one country, two systems’ solution to the national question. If the Katsina situation confers 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 country’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. Denying Amotekun 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 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 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”, he stated.
