‘We Will Challenge Case of Katsina Local Security Corps Carrying Ak47 While Amotekun Is Denied Same’ – Akeredolu 

‘We Will Challenge Case of Katsina Local Security Corps Carrying Ak47 While Amotekun Is Denied Same’ – Akeredolu

The Ondo State governor, Arakunri Rotimi Akeredolu has reacted to videos of local security personnel created by the Katsina State, bearing the popular AK47 guns, saying the Southwest governors will challenge the federal government for disallowing the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun) personnel to have same opportunity.

In a statement signed by the governor on Thursday and made available to media men, he said the development showed that the popular ‘One Nigeria’ phrase is not real as denying Amotekun the same right given to the Katsina State’s security outfit indicated an abandonment of true federalism.

“We Believe In One Nigeria, But We Cannot Have One Country, Two Systems, 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.

“Denying Amotekun the urgently needed rights, to legitimately bear arms is a repudiation of the basis of true federalism which we have been clamoring for, that Katsina was able to arm its state security force, with the display of AK47 means we are pursuing one country, two systems solution to the national question.

“If the katsina situation conferring 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.”

The governor said continued denial of Amotekun to bear arms like it was done to their counterparts in Katsina State, which is the home State of President Muhammadu Buhari, will further expose the people of the Southwest to organized crime, marauders and defined the action of the federal government as a deliberate act to destroy the agricultural sector in the Yorubaland.

“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. Ondo State government under the doctrine of necessity have 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 an 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,” he stated.