The Pan-Yoruba Socio-Political Organisation, Afenifere, on Tuesday, condemned the Inspector General of Police, (IGP) for sponsoring lawlessness in Oyo State over the dissolution of the local government chairmen in the state.
The group who stated this in Akure, Ondo State capital, after its monthly meeting specifically alleged Adamu of foisting anarchy on Oyo State by directing the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Shina Olukolu, to take actions to implement the legal opinion of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) on the sacked local government chairmen in the state.
Afenifere, in a communique made available and read by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin, said the development was a deliberate attempt to cause crisis in the state.
Odumakin, while reading the communique said: “Meeting condemned in the strongest terms the lawlessness going on in Oyo State over local government dissolution following the call to self-help by the IGP.
“We are miffed that the AGF is not appraised of the fact that Section 7 of the constitution which provides for the existence, administration and finance of LGs being the duty of states and not the Federal Government.
“Any pupil lawyer should know that you cannot enforce a judgement a state is not a party to. He is forcing a judgement in which Oyo State is not a party to it.”
He said further, “besides, there are two cases in court on the Oyo local government crisis that the AGF and IGP should have waited for determination before instigating the lawlessness being precipitated in Oyo State.
“We commend the State Government for the maturity with which it has handled the master and it is encouraged to continue on that line until the court decides.
“The FG should bury its head in shame for being an agent of destabilisation once again.”
The group commended the Oyo State government for not allowing the situation to degenerate into crisis and appealed to the people of the state from taking laws into their hands and against creating anarchy in the state.
The group also condemned the continued silence over the killing of the daughter of the Afenifere leader, Mrs Funke Olakurin, by suspected Fulani herdsmen along Ore/Benin road in July by the security agencies. The group described the killing as a political assassination.
The group lamented the inability of the Nigerian Police Force to continue with the investigation of the Olakunrin killing, challenging the police to carry out its duty and bring the perpetrators of the gruesome killing to book.
The communique read: “Meeting expressed its disgust with the Nigerian Police Force that almost seven months after the murder of our leader’s daughter, the police has stopped any form of investigation into the dastardly act without any briefing to the family.
“We are left with no option at this stage than to conclude that she was a victim of political assassination necessitating state cover-up.
“We challenge the police to do its job on this matter in spite of our disappointment with them. We also invoke her spirit to remain restless until the killers and masterminds of her death are exposed and brought before the temple of justice.”
The meeting also commended the south-west governors over their struggle to put in place a security outfit for the region.
The group, however, maintained that the security outfit codenamed Amotekun has come to stay in the region to provide security for the people of the region, saying the governors have fought a great battle against all powers to silence the initiative.
“Amotekun is a battle won in Federalism war. Meeting reviewed the recent struggle to assert the right of the South West to establish operation Amotekun and concluded it is a battle won against the imperial Federal Government by the strong will of the west and its freedom-loving friends across Nigeria.
“Meeting further noted that but for the depth of despair unitary rule has sunk Nigeria’s states having security guards should not have been any issue as the 1999 constitution recognises the right of states to protect lives and property and “state” does not mean only Federal Government but states and local governments.
“Meeting observed that only carpenters posing as lawyers would ever say that security is on any exclusive list as there is no law that stops individuals from securing their premises talk less of state actors;
“The jejune argument by spokesmen of our tormentors that the FG has failed to protect us against, that having a security outfit that cuts across states is unacceptable was seen as a non-sequitur as Yoruba are a homogenous group once under a region which Nigeria broke into states.
“Meeting affirmed that Yoruba would find it hard to oppose Amotekun in any other part of Nigeria if it owns Hisbah, Lafiya Dole and harbours Boko Haram and Miyetti Allah that are tormenting the country and making President Trump consider placing Nigeria on travel ban.
“Meeting rejected any attempt to subsume Amotekun under the Community Policing scheme of the Federal Government which is just being informants to the Nigerian Police. Amotekun should be independent in carrying out the security of residents of South West with defined operational cooperation with the police but not its subordinate.
“That while Amotekun has now come to stay there must be no hindrance in the pursuit of a federal Nigeria so we can revert to the multi-level policing status of Nigeria of the past which saw the Nigerian Railway corporation having its own police.
“In this regard, we are happy with the Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan’s declaration of support for issues in Federalism especially multi-level policing and we enjoin the National Assembly to see it as the urgent business of now.
“Meeting commended the South-West governors for standing firm on Yoruba consensus on Amotemekun without blinking.
“They showed they are proper borns. It equally appreciated our friends in OHANAEZE, PANDEF and MIDDLE BELT FORUM who stood solidly with us.
“Special recognition was taken of those individuals who spoke in clear language at the moment of crisis such as Prof Wole Soyinka, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), Mr Femi Falana, and others too numerous to mention.
“They shamed the agents of backwardness who opposed Amotekun and by extension the right of vulnerable groups in Nigeria to defend their lives.”
The group also expressed concerns over the incessant arson in some of the region biggest markets, saying the development will adversely affect the economy of the region and called for investigations into these infernos.
Afenifere said “meeting expressed concern at the recent fire outbreaks in some of the biggest markets in Yorubaland .
“Such incidents have occurred at Akesan market in Oyo town, Bosi Onabanjo market in Ijebu-Ode, Amu market in Lagos, Sabo market in Sagamu, Bisi Egbeyemi Market in Ekiti and Ojatuntun market in Ile -Ife.
“While we are not coming to the conclusion yet that there is a deliberate sabotage on our economy, we call on our governors to investigate these incidents and increase security around our markets and business facilities.
