Insecurity: Reps Move to Provide Legal Backing for Amotekun, Ebube Agu, Others
- There is hope for Amotekun and other regional sponsored security outfits as lawmakers are set to give it a constitutional backing
- Specifically, members of the House of Representatives want to amend the Nigerian constitution to accommodate them
- According to the lawmakers, the widespread breakdown of law and order seems to have overwhelmed the police
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As Nigeria continues to face unprecedented insecurity, the House of Representatives is on the verge of helping the country through the constitution.
Hence, the lawmakers are set to amend the 1999 Constitution to recognise security outfits created by states. This is an effort to complement the Nigeria Police Force in the protection of lives and properties.
The bill making the proposal has already passed the second reading at the House on Wednesday, June 9, Punch reports.
Source: Facebook
Daily Trust reports that the legislation is 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 security outfits in question include: Southwest Security Network Agency, popularly called Amotekun, the vigilante network in the southeast, codenamed, Ebube Agu.
Amotekun operatives need firearms like AK-47
In another report, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state has asked the federal government to grant southwest governors the powers to equip their respective Amotekun operatives with sophisticated firearms like AK-47.
On Tuesday, June 8, the governor made the suggestion in response to the recent Igangan mayhem where dozens of indigenes were killed by suspected armed herdsmen.
According to Governor Makinde, the operations of Amotekun in tackling criminality continues to be limited because the operatives do not have sophisticated weapons to match that of criminal elements.
Buhari asked to address the nation
In a related development, members of the Lagos state House of Assembly on Tuesday, May 18, asked President Muhammadu Buhari to address the nation over issues relating to insecurity across the country.
At the plenary monitored by Legit.ng, the House urged state governors to start restructuring in their states by implementing autonomy for state legislatures and judiciary.
The Lagos lawmakers also called on the National Assembly needed to amend the Act establishing the Nigeria Police Force for the creation of state police.
Source: Legit.ng
