After being pounded with a barrage of lacerating criticisms, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, is now claiming he was quoted out of context in his declaration of the South-West security outfit, Amotekun, as illegal.
His volte-face is coming as the office of the Vice President is claiming that the South-West governors and the Federal Government have resolved the conflict over Amotekun.
Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, told journalists in the presence of Malami in Abuja that the Minister says he was misquoted in his widely circulated statement by his spokesman.
A statement by Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Office of the Vice President, disclosed that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, met Thursday with South West Governors, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police.
“The meeting was at the instance of the Governors who had asked to see President Muhammadu Buhari over the controversy surrounding the Amotekun Initiative. However due to the President’s foreign engagement, he asked the Vice President to host the meeting.
“The meeting was very fruitful and unanimous resolutions were made on the way forward.
“Having regard to the need for all hands to be on deck in addressing the security concerns across the country, it was agreed that the structure of Amotekun should also align with the Community Policing strategy of the Federal Government.
“It was also agreed that necessary legal instruments will be put in place by each of the States to give legal backing to the initiative and address all issues concerning the regulation of the security structure.”