Malami: I didn't say Amotekun is illegal

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, says he never declared the 'Operation Amotekun', the South-West regional security outfit, as an illegal body.

Malami, while responding to a question during a chat on Radio Nigeria Abuja on Thursday, January 23, 2020, noted that he was misquoted on Amotekun.

"I was misinterpreted on Operation Amotekun, I did not say it’s illegal," Malami announced.

“I said the Operation Amotekun should be properly backed by law, so if at the end of this government, if the operation has been backed by law, any government that eventually succeeded this government would not rubbish the operation.

“I said if they failed to enact a law in support of Amotekun in the South-West region of Nigeria, another government can come and say it’s illegal and this is because it is not backed up by any law.

“So, it is just a piece of advice to the state governors to use their power and the State Houses of Assembly in their various states to enact a law that will make the operation more effective,” he added.

Operation Amotekun was established to help tackle the rising security challenges in the South-West region.