A group, South West Professionals, SOWPROF, has prodded South West governors to go ahead with the full implementation of the new security network, Amotekun, saying that the initiative would stem crime in the region.
The group also urged the Federal Government to drop charges against the Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Mr Omoyele Sowore, arguin that the charges against him were political and that he should be released unconditionally.
The group said it might be compelled to drag Nigeria before the United Nations, UN, for threatening an institution meant to protect lives and properties of people living in the South West area following the Attorney General’s description of the outfit as illegal.
SOWPROF said Nigeria was a signatory to several international conventions on the security of lives and properties which supercede any other consideration that might oppose Amotekun.
“Dont be intimidated. Your action is in line with several local and international conventions on the protection of lives and properties. The people are with you. We urge you to go ahead and fully implement the project,” the statement signed by SOWPROF President Chief Segun Ajibulu reads in part.
SOWPROF is made up of Yoruba and Itsekiri Professionals drawn from across the world.
The South West professionals also berated Miyetti Allah for blackmailing the South West on the 2023 Presidency.
The group asked “Is Miyetti Allah a political party? Is Miyetti Allah an arm of the Presidency? Is Miyetti Allah INEC?”
The group said it would before the end of the year organise a security summit in the South West focusing on youths, drugs and violent crimes.
The group said there were at present 23 states with one form of local security or the other adding that the Amotekun initiative was not a new thing in Nigeria.
It said Amotekun was necessary to tame the possibility of invasion of the entire South West by criminals and armed gangs.
Ajibulu said, “Amotekun was not set up to fight any ethnic group but to fight criminals in any part of the South West. Any responsive government should not fold its arms and allow criminals to take over the towns and villages.”
He said, “SOWPROF will give full support to Amotekun in terms of education and knowledge provision. We are prepared to link up with relevant donor agencies across the world that can assist the South West governors to run an effective local security operatives that will be driven by respect for the constitution and important international human right conventions so that the members will enjoy public support.”
The group said since Amotekun had been launched , the only thing the Attorney General of Nigeria could do was to go to court.
SOWPROF also called on the Federal Government to pay huge compensation to the publisher of Sahara Reporters, saying the charges against him were political and initiated to bring down the good governance campaign being waged by the popular online medium.
