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Akeredolu dares FG, vows to acquire sophisticated weapons for Amotekun

…says if Katsina can, Ondo will

Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has declared that he will activate the ‘doctrine of necessity’ by acquiring sophisticated weapons for the Amotekun Corps in order to effectively protect the people. Akeredolu, who berated the Federal Government for allegedly giving approval to the Kastina State security outfit to bear arms, said denying Amotekun such right amounts to double standard. The governor, who vowed to defend the people in a statement he personally signed yesterday, said the state government under his watch cannot look on while its citizens are being terrorized and murdered with impunity.

The statement entitled: ‘We Believe In One Nigeria, But We Cannot Have One Country, Two Systems’ reads: “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 AK47s 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 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 added: “Denying Amotekun the right to bear arms exposes the Southwest to life-threatening marauders and organised 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 terrorized and murdered with impunity. We will defend our people.”

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