House of Reps debates bill that will provide federal backing to regional security outfits

NIGERIA'S House of Representatives has begun the process of passing a law that will recognise security outfits like Amotekun and Ebube Agu created by states to complement the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in the effort to protect lives and property.

Over recent years, insecurity has become rife in Nigeria with terrorist sects, armed bandits, kidnappers, rapists and Fulani cattle herdsmen all having a field day. Totally overwhelmed by the crisis, the NPF lacks the men to confront these hoodlums, forcing state governments to establish regional security outfits to help.

Across the southwest geo-political zone, the six state governors launched the Amotekun Corps last year, while earlier this year the five governors of the southeast geo-political zone did likewise creating a body known as Ebube Agu. Lawmakers in the House of Representatives have now begun debating a bill sponsored by Hon Anthony Afe of Delta State that will make such bodies statutory.

Already, the bill has passed its second reading at the House. Titled A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to Give Legal Backing to State Security Outfit to Complement the Nigeria Police Force, the bill seeks to provide legal backing for the creation of state security outfits complimenting the Nigeria Police Force.

Hon Afe said: “The widespread violent crimes in every nook and cranny of the country has no doubt overwhelmed the Nigeria police as presently structured both in personnel’s capacity as well as modus operandi. The security challenges make it imperative for the scope of policing to expanded to make state government and councils play defined and more active roles in funding and pooling personnel, who are expected to be more knowledgeable about their environment in the key aspect of intelligence gathering and crime bursting, other than crimes defined as federal crimes under the proposed new police architecture envisioned in the proposed constitutional amendment.”

He stated that Nigerians could not live in denial of the fact that the security challenges must be tackled in the best template that promotes nationhood. Already, Amotekun bills have been passed by the state houses of assemblies of the six states in the southwest geopolitical zone.