Amotekun: public hearings and passing the bill

Public hearings were held in Nigeria’s South-West states last Monday, 24^th of February 2020, on the proposed legal framework with which to establish the Operation Amotekun. The states involved are Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo. The hearing was widely attended by the stakeholders who shared their views, criticisms and suggestions on the bill before its ultimate endorsement into binding laws governing the operations of the security outfit. The stakeholders in the respective states exhorted the government to ensure that a proper training is given to the recruited operatives and to avoid religious, political and personal interests being put into consideration in the recruitment of these personnel. [1]

Consequent to the launching of this Nigeria’s first regional security outfit, there arose some controversies as a reaction to such a prodigious initiative. To start with, on January 13, 2020, the Nigeria police in each of these six South-West states proclaimed that other than the army, navy, and paramilitary groups including police, no any security operation is authorized to use fire arms, and anyone that is caught with violation of this constitutional provision will be arrested. [2] This declaration was further intensified by a statement from the federal government which considers the operations of Amotekun as contrary to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and thereby it is illegal to carry on its operation without a federal approval. [3]

This led to a meeting held by the south-west Nigerian governors with the presidency on 23^rd of January, 2020, the outcome of which paves a way forward to legitimizing the operations of the outfit. A compromise was reached on the establishment of a legal framework with which to back this security outfit’s operations. [4] From then on, all the six states’ houses of assembly have exerted considerable efforts to perfect this pivotal law enactment process. The indigenes of the South-west Nigeria have also shun their diversity in terms of religion and politics and showcased their full support for this security operation as a means to combat the onslaughts of cattle rearing hoodlums which have led to thousands of casualties in the region.

Miyetti Allah Leadership’s inclusion demand in Amotekun Operation

In the wake of the Oyo state’s public rearing conducted by the state House of Assembly, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) proclaimed its consensus with the authority and stakeholders on the establishment of Operation Amotekun, adding that it is a good initiative that is envisaged to restore security to the region. In his statement, the former chairman of the Oyo state’s MACBAN and the incumbent chairman of Cow Sellers Association of Nigeria, Yakubu Bello requested from the authority to include some members of Oyo state’s MACBAN among the Amotekun’s operatives. He backed the request with his assertion that the hoodlum Fulani herdsmen can be better identified by other Fulani men who are not criminally minded. He also asserted that their children’s ability to communicate in Fulfude will definitely be instrumental to Amotekun in identifying the criminals among Fulani herdsmen as distinct from the innocent ones among them.

However, the request for inclusion made by the MACBAN was declined by the states’ houses of assembly by concluding on the bill upon the public hearing without any consideration given to personnel other than the indigenes residing in the South-west’s respective local governments. [5]

More importantly, working collaboratively with transparency among the six states involved with the aim of achieving a mutual goal is conspicuous throughout this law enactment process. This solidarity and cooperation is quite central to actualizing a common legal framework to synergize the conduct and operations of Amotekun in the entire region.

Furthermore, the lack of accommodating the MACBAN’s demand for inclusion in the operation is a decision that is borne out of wisdom, forethought, and reasoning. To ensure that this operation absolutely addresses the issue of insecurity, the principal of which has been the onslaughts of Fulani cattle rearing hoodlums, the government has to be extremely cautious of any decision the repercussion of which could inhibit the accomplishment of the predetermined goal of the initiative. Although restoring safety and security in the region is a responsibility of all the residents, accommodating such a demand could culminate in compromising the safety and security of the people since the situation may give rise to the possibility of politicizing the operation as well as creating a room for favoritism.

Given the several cases of Fulani herdsmen’s onslaughts which have overwhelmed thousands of people in the region with terror, there is no doubt that these residents will continually be psychologically threatened of insecurity if such a demand is put into consideration.