Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has insisted that Operation Amotekun, a security outfit launched by South-West governors, is illegal.
Malami, in a statement on Thursday by his Special Assistant on Media, Umar Gwandu, said that no amount of sentiments would make the Federal Government abandon the path of rule of law in governing the country.
Malami’s statement comes a day after a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, called for dialogue, saying Amotekun was not dangerous to Nigeria’s unity.
The AGF also addressed human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, who told South West to ignore Malami and make laws to back Amotekun.
“No amount of effort to hide the truth will work. People could be carried away by sentimental or emotional inclinations, but truth remains apparently palpable. The bottom line is that the current Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not accommodate formation of regional security architecture,” the statement said.
“This is a fact which is indisputable and undeniable. Mr. Falana was prevaricating and circumlocuting using evasive techniques when he was asked by the media to justify the presence of lacuna within the law which could establish or protect the concept of regionalism in any operation in the country.
“This arrangement called Amotekun is not backed by any law neither at the State nor at the Federal Government level. Amotekun, therefore, remains unconstitutional and illegal as already indicated.
“The Federal Government appreciates that legally-minded Nigerians have started to eschew emotions by offering legal comments on the matter as against being carried away by other inclinations.
“The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice is committed to the rule of law and a constitutional democratic Federal Republic of Nigeria.”