Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) has replied to the presidency that he will spare no effort to protect the people of Ondo State by arming the Amotekun Corps in the state.
Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu had in a press statement, explained the stand of the federal government on guns licence.
Shehu said no state had been given license to arm any of their local security across the country.
Reacting yesterday, Governor Akeredolu vowed to explore every available legal and constitutional means to secure the state and its people.
According to him, the reasons adduced by Shehu in the press statement for the continued refusal to approve of the use of sophisticated weapons by state security outfits can no longer be plausible in the face of increasing security challenges being faced by the people.
Akeredolu, in a statement made available to journalists in Akure, the state capital by his chief press secretary, Richard Olatunde, said the assertion of the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity on the use of automatic weapons by state security outfits betrayed the current realities across the country.
He said, “His attempt to justify the use of AK47 by the vigilantes of Katsina State for training stands logic on its head.
“The report by the TVC News that went viral showed the Katsina State Vigilante training with AK47. This is the same weapon which approval has vehemently been refused for the use of Amotekun Corps and other state security outfits.
“The questions Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, asks are: Where did the guns come from? Who approved their use?
Were the guns returned to the armoury after use? The AK47, as seen from the TVC news report, was about usage. If not, what purpose does training with guns serve?
“It is rather suspicious that Shehu elected himself as the spokesperson for the Katsina State government. Whereas, the Katsina State has not come out to deny the statement of Governor Akeredolu on the use of AK47 by vigilantes of Katsina State during training.”
