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It is illegal for FG not to license Amotekun to bear arms- Falana
By Modupe Shodeinde
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana said it is illegal and suicidal for the federal government not to license the western Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun, to bear arms.
The rights Lawyer while speaking on a Punch Online interview programme on Friday, said it is suicidal for the Amotekun operatives to confront criminal elements who possess sophisticated weapons without arms to protect themselves.
He said, “You set up a security outfit like the Amotekun Corps without arms and ammunition. You are either risking the lives of the men and women in that organisation or you are giving people a false sense of security.
The senior advocate advised State governors to apply for licences for the security operatives to bear arms in tackling insecurity in the states.
He argued that “if an individual can apply for licence to bear arms to defend himself and his family members, it is illegal not to give licences to about 5,000 or 10,000 young men and women to protect a state like Lagos of about 20 million.
“And if they refuse to give the licences, we must go to court and accuse the authorities in Abuja of endangering the lives of people in Lagos. We must get to that level.”
Falana pointed out that the security outfit cannot be expected to guard the people without proper arms and ammunition.
“We can’t have members of the neighbourhood watch to guide people without arms and ammunition, members of the Amotekun Corps without arms and ammunition, yet the people you are asking them to confront are armed with AK-47 and rounds of ammunition. For me, that is not security.
“There is even a section of the constitution, Section 220, that empowers a governor to ask for military training in the state because every Nigerian is entitled to military training but pending the time the National Assembly would enact a law to achieve that objective, a state government can ask the authorities in Abuja. We have facilities for military training. Can you allow our citizens to acquire military training? It is in the constitution.”
The human rights advocate urged the citizens to mobilise the government to be active in its duties of ensuring safety of lives and property.
“It has got to that stage when every community has to organise its security because we can no longer depend on the government,” he said.
