Edo Assembly challenges IGP’s suspension of State Security Corps

The Edo State House of Assembly has strongly contested the indefinite suspension of the Edo Security Corps by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, emphasizing that the action lacks constitutional backing.

At a press briefing in Benin City, House Majority Leader, Hon. Charity Aiguobarueghian, argued that the IGP does not possess the authority to suspend the security corps, which was legally established by the state assembly on June 13, 2024, and signed into law by Governor Godwin Obaseki the following day.

The suspension, announced by IGP Egbetokun during a stakeholders’ engagement organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has been met with significant resistance from the state legislature.

Aiguobarueghian cited Section 11, subsections 1 and 2 of the Nigerian Constitution, which grants state assemblies the power to legislate for the peace, good governance, and order of their jurisdictions.

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He further highlighted that the creation of the Edo Security Corps was well within these constitutional powers and aligned with the principles of federalism, as well as the government’s primary responsibility to ensure the security and welfare of its citizens under Section 14.

The Majority Leader condemned the IGP’s decision as a “great betrayal” of his office, stressing that the Assistant Inspector General and the Commissioner of Police in Edo State should have informed the IGP of the corps’ legal status.

He argued that undermining the constitution is a serious misstep that should not be tolerated, and that only a court of law has the authority to suspend the activities of a body established by law.

The Edo State House of Assembly’s firm stance highlights the need for the IGP to respect constitutional provisions and the autonomy of state governments in managing security matters within their domains.