Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday called on the National Assembly to establish state police.
The House, which held its first plenary weeks after the inauguration, also called on the state Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to urgently equip the Neighbourhood Safety Corps of the state so that its personnel could effectively perform the task of community policing.
According to the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa said that if those actions are taken, it would stem the increasing spate of insecurity in the country.
Citing some attacks in some states of the federation in recent times, Obasa lamented that, if the insecurity lingers, it might have adverse effects on the lives of people adding that many citizens are losing their lives and belongings already.
He said: “I read about the killing of some residents in Plateau State as well as the abduction of the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State, Mr. Paul Omotoso”.
Obasa said, although the Assembly had consistently clamoured for the establishment of state police, it is an appropriate time for the Senate and the House of Representatives to begin an amendment of the Constitution to contain the creation of the alternative policing system.
“While I commend the Ninth National Assembly for doing a lot to amend the constitution, there is a need for us to call on the 10th National Assembly to see it as a matter of urgency to make the issue of state policing a major factor of development”, Obasa said.
Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu commended the Speaker for bringing up the issue of state policing again.
“We remember very well that it was you that sponsored the bill on Neighbourhood Safety Corps and we see what it has done for our State and how other states are copying it”, he said.
While noting that President Bola Tinubu started well with moves to rejig the economy, Yishawu said security remains at the heart of a country’s progress urging for more focus in this area.
The motion was supported by other lawmakers who complained about the inadequate number of police personnel in Lagos and also suggested police reforms at the national level.
The lawmakers argued further that the establishment of state police would boost employment across the country.
Meanwhile, the House, through Obasa, has congratulated President Bola Tinubu on his election as Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The House said it believes in President Tinubu’s capacity to bring the countries under ECOWAS to work together.
At the plenary, the House also resolved a report relating to issues of legislative compliance on the appointment of some Governor’s nominees without the approval of the House of Assembly. The lawmakers called on the Executive arm to henceforth act in conformity with the law.
