News
Amotekun Recruitment Suspended
The planned recruitment of personnel and further implementation of the blueprint for the South West regional security outfit named Amotekun are now on hold.
It was gathered that some states had already fine-tuned the processes of recruitment before the controversial notification by the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, declaring the outfit as illegal.
The posture of the government towards Amotekun sparked regional protests in condemnation of the federal government’s stance.
It was the argument by its proponents that Amotekun would be the antidote for the intractable kidnapping and ritual killings which had become regular tales in the South-west region.
They also argued that its complementary role would facilitate the fight against crime and help the statutory security agencies become effective in curbing crime in the region.
With the memo from Mr Malami, coupled with fears expressed by some sections of the country, the South-west governors met with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday, in Abuja with a view to removing the obstacles to the initiative.
One of the critical resolutions reached at the end of the meeting was the need to back Amotekun with an enabling law by the states involved.
An official of the Osun State Government on Friday said that the conclusion from the meeting with the vice president resulted in the hosting of the attorneys general from the six states in Ibadan on Thursday to determine the nature of the legal framework.
The meeting which was hosted by the Oyo State Commissioner for Justice, Oyewole Oyewo, immediately constituted a three-member committee to provide a legal working document for the states.
Ismail Omipidan, Chief Press Secretary to the Osun State Governor, said another meeting has been scheduled for the next two weeks in Ibadan where further resolutions would be made on the matter.
It was gathered that the attorney’s general would in the next meeting seek the inputs of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission before finally preparing the necessary documents for onward transfer to the Houses of Assembly of each of the states.
It has however been confirmed that activities on Amotekun, particularly recruitment, would have to wait until the legal framework was put in place.
The Commissioner for Information, Ekiti State, Muyiwa Olumilua, confirmed that all procedures on the implementation of the security initiative would wait until the legal backing was in place.
“You are aware that the governors just had a meeting with the Vice President and the Attorney General of the Federation regarding the security outfit,” he said.
“The fall out of that meeting is for us to try to put the necessary legal framework in place. That one will come before the recruitment process.”
Aare Olumilua could however not state how long it would take to conclude the legal framework. He urged citizens to be patient as the state government’s attempt to produce a well-designed framework.
The Police Service Commission, PSC, has said it has no constitutional powers to determine the appointment or removal of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP.
Gatekeeper recalls that the Police Service Commission had last week directed all serving police officers who have served for 35 years, or attained the age of 60 years, to proceed on immediate retirement in line with existing laws.
Since the directive several public commentators have argued that the directives should also affect the tenure of the IGP.
But Ikechukwu Ani, Head, Press and Public Relations of the PSC, in a statement on Monday, said, “By virtue of Paragraph 30, part 1 of the third schedule to the Constitution, and clause 6 (1) of the Police Service Commission (Establisment) Act, 2001, the Commission is charged with the responsibilities of appointment, promotion, dismissal and exercising disciplinary control over persons holding offices in the Nigeria Police Force (except the Inspector General of Police).
“The law is clear on the mandate of the Commission and it does not extend to the Inspector General of Police who is an appointee of Mr. President with the advice of the Police Council.
“The Commission wishes to state that it is comfortable with the size of the powers which the Constitution has bestowed on it and is not interested in shopping for more powers that obviously are not backed by law.”
Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has described the planned increase in electricity and telecom tariffs as unconscionable.
The statement comes after the telecoms regulator last week approved the increase in mobile tariffs.
The federal government also recently said that plans were ongoing to increase electricity tariffs “over the next few months.”
However, Sani, who said the government’s plan is unreasonable, insisted that it should be halted.
The ex-lawmaker also expressed his support for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the scheduled protest against the government’s proposal, calling it a welcome development.
“The planned increase in electricity tariffs in the midst of poor power supply and the proposal to increase telecom tariffs is unconscionable and should be halted. The scheduled labour union protest is a welcome development,” he posted on X.
The United States President, Donald Trump, has revealed his decision to cut off all future funding to South Africa, citing poor treatment of “certain classes of people.”
Trump made this known on Sunday in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform.
According to Trump, South Africa was seizing land and mistreating some citizens without concern for the violations of their rights.
“South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY.
“I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!” Trump wrote.
Reports suggest that the American leader may be defending White South Africans, some of whom have alleged that the South African policy is unfair to them.
We don’t have power to determine tenure of IGP – Police Service Commission
2025 Grammy: Your achievement is historic – Sanwo-Olu congratulates Tems
Peter Obi congratulates Tems on Grammy win
Know The Airlines, Departure And Arrival Terminals In Lagos Airports By Ayodeji Awokunmi
Know the Airlines, departure, and arrival terminals in Lagos Domestic Airports
Dissecting Caritas CEO’S ‘Public Relations Thoughts And Deeds’ By Stanley Olisa
-
News1 week agoUvisuals Studios and Ark and Rainbow Development Foundation screens short film – LOTUS
-
Entertainment1 week ago‘Eezee Concept vowed to destroy my career’ – Mercy Chinwo
-
Politics1 week agoInsubordination: Gov Okpebholo suspends FEWMA boss, Ahmed Musa Momoh indefinitely
-
News1 week ago15 feared dead in Enugu fuel tanker explosion
-
News1 week ago
Four arrested in Anambra for burning 74-yr-old woman to death
-
News6 days ago2027: I’m not against coalition – Peter Obi
-
News5 days agoLAGOS BEGINS 3-DAY FREE HIV TESTING AND COUNSELLING SERVICES IN 19 RIVERINE COMMUNITIES
-
Sports1 week agoEPL: Salah overtakes Thierry Henry in all-time top goalscorer chart