Lagos Legislature approves continuous training of security operatives

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday made a resolution for continuous training of law enforcement agents operating in the state.

The resolution was made as the lawmakers read for a second time a bill for the creation of a law enforcement training institute in the state.

Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Obasa, described the bill as very important, adding that the proposal should have the stipulations that would make it a good law.

He committed the bill to the House Committee on Judiciary to report in weeks.

Earlier during the debate on the bill, Hon. Victor Akande, chairman of the Committee on Judiciary and Public Petitions, said it was long overdue.

“Policing in Lagos State has a little lacuna. Thus, we have to put up a centre for the training of our own to teach them the modern way of doing it,” he said.

Hon. Bisi Yusuff had said that the institute was necessary because “most of our law enforcement agents do not understand the job. When well implemented, the institute will help to remold the agents.”

Hon. Rotimi Olowo also noted that Lagos, being a mega city and economic hub of the country, has some challenges in relation to security.

“There are certain criteria for recruitment. The training institute will be able to look at that area,” he said adding that the institute would help train enforcement agents on use of modern technology in intelligence gathering and prosecution.

“Some of our security personnel do not even know how to use the smart phones. So, this bill is apt,” he added stressing that the institute would help agents treat people with dignity.

Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu also argued that having an institute to train and retrain law enforcement agents would help them keep abreast of modern ways of securing the society.

For Hon. David Setonji, the bill is the first of its kind among states of the federation.