Home News Diaspora group threaten to sue Amotekun over illegal Chinese gold miners allegedly released

Diaspora group threaten to sue Amotekun over illegal Chinese gold miners allegedly released

by Our Reporter
Members of Global Coalition for Security and Democracy in Nigeria (GCSDN) based in the diaspora and some states in Nigeria have threatened to sue Amotekun for the role they played in connivance with the Nigerian police in allegedly releasing 10 illegal Chinese gold miners and others who were arrested in Osun state on 3 May 2020.
In a letter sent to Chief Ganiyu Adams the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba which was signed on behalf of the group by Frederick Odorige and Edmond Ikeh,  they stated that since Amotekun initiated the arrest, they ought to follow up the matter with the police to the point of prosecution.

The letter stated that “We have read and watched patiently since then for Amotekun to follow up on the matter but it seems they recluse themselves after handing over the criminals to the Nigerian Police. It was a thing of joy to celebrate the formation of Amotekun as a regional outfit but we also believe that whenever arrests are made, there must be no compromise no matter whose ox is gored”.

“The onus rest on them to do a follow up on whomever they arrest. It is not enough to sensationalize the arrest through the media and remain silent thereafter. The Nigerian law clearly states that suspects must be arraigned before a court of law within 72 hours. Why is our law broken in respect of foreigners?”

The group extolled the role played by Chief Ganiyu Adams towards enhancing peace and security within the Yoruba region and believed that such services must not be jeopardized by the compromise of Amotekun and others. They further stated that “If we do not respect our laws, nobody will respect us as a people”.

The letter stated that many questions are begging for answers. Such questions are “ Is Amotekun in the business of “catch and release” criminals? Can Nigerians try same criminal acts in China and get away with it without due process of the law? Are there proper checks and balances to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of Amotekun in all of Yorubaland?  Did some persons collect bribe in order to sweep the matter of under the carpet?”

The letter concluded that “Our country has become the poverty capital of the world because we continue to turn a blind eye to the criminal exploitation of our resources by foreigners coupled with poor governance. We are considering taking legal action on this matter but we feel that it will be respectful to contact you before taking any decision.”

There are information that the group also followed up with several telephone calls to the assistant to Aare Ona Kakanfo who responded that they had received the letter and will send a reply soon.

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