Rejig security architecture, Lagos Lawmakers task Buhari

Given the ever increasing spate of killings, violence and insecurity in Nigeria, members of the Lagos state House of Assembly have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to rejig the security architecture so as to address the appalling situation in the country.

The lawmakers also called on the federal government to liaise with leaders of foreign countries, African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) in ensuring security in Nigeria, reiterating the call for State Police  and Restructuring.

They urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to provide Close Circuit Television (CCTV) across the state, urging him to clean up motorcycle riders in the state.

These resolutions were made during plenary session on Tuesday under matter of urgent public importance raised by the Majority Leader, Sanai Agunbiade.

Agunbiade said that recently Nigeria has witnessed different forms of violence, saying that no geopolitical zones of the country was free from violence.

” I rise to raise serious concern about the spate of violence in the country. For some days now, Nigeria has witnessed different forms of violence in different colouration and nomenclature. What we first hearing was Boko Haram insurgency. Later, we heard banditry. Though, the nomenclature may be different but the activities of these set of people are similar.

He added that the spate of violence and killings have affected the image of the country and as well as the economy and psychy of the citizens.

Agunbiade stated ” It is become worrisome that academic institutions are attacked. Students are being killed. IDPs are being attacked. Military formations are as well attacked. Just yesterday, military formation in Kaduna was attacked. Villages have been sacked, community heads are kidnapped and these continued unabated”.

” We can not continue with this situation, it is as if Nigeria is at war with itself. The situation in the country is gradually leading to tribal agitation. I think we need to condemn all forms of violence and killings in the country”, said Agunbiade.

While contributing, Hon. Rotimi Olowo (Somolu 1), said the county is in a state of anarchy, adding that Boko Haram insurgency has spread beyond Maiduguri where it started from.

Olowo said that there cannot be foreign investors in the country where there is high rate of insecurity,  adding that the security architecture should be rejig to addressing the challenges.

 ” We are in a state of anomy. Boko Haram started from Maiduguri and now they have moved to Kaure in Niger State. Several women were kidnapped in a place close to Abuja. It started in the north, it is now in the South East, South South and now South West.

” Also, there were violence in Lekki and Ojo. President Muhammadu Buhari talked about security, corruption and economy. But how can all these be achieved, where there is no security. We cannot have foreign investors, where there is no security.

” Mr. President is experienced as a military man, but we are not seeing it. We need to rejig our security infrastructure. Also, our neighbouring countries are porous such as Niger, Chad and Cameroun.

” We see a lot of these foreigners coming to Lagos. The President should address the country on the issue of security”, said Olowo.

In his comment, Hon. Lukman Olumoh( Ajeromi Ifelodun 1) said almost all ethnic groups in Nigeria are well armed due to the proliferation of firearms into the country.

Olumoh added ” The issue of security is very important. Almost all ethnic groups in Nigeria are well armed. Section 14 (B) of the constitution talks about security and welfare. We should look at the roles of West Africa and African Union in all of these.

” There is insecurity in Chad, Niger and other countries. I want to call on African Union, ECOWAS, United Nations to look into these. The APC National Chairman urges our government to empower our youths and put more money into the system to stop youth restiveness. We must talk about religious tolerance and unemployment”, said Olumoh.

Hon. Femi Saheed( Kosofe 1),  in his contribution, said that the country is in a precarious situation and that the people are taking up arms against themselves.

” There is crisis everywhere, yet we have a president. We not hostile, lazy or criminals in Nigeria. I used to travel from Lagos to Kaduna by road as a student many years back and the people there welcomed me.

” If we don’t bring these back, it means we can no longer tolerate ourselves. We worked seriously and sacrificed our lives for this government to come to power. Nigeria is not isolation, we must regard ourselves as a nation that has potentials”, said Saheed.

Also, Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu (Eti-Osa 2), said ” Insecurity is everywhere, north, south, west, east, no place is safe. LASU/Iyana Iba and Lekki were boiling. The Nigeria Police is overwhelmed, they have also become victims. Even the Nigerian Army cannot cope.

” The Federal Government of Nigeria must find new ways, we cannot continue like this. Security and welfare of the people are the primary duties of the government. We are trying in Lagos State, but we need to do more. We need to increase the manpower of LNSC, we must give them more equipment.

Yishawu added ” The private sector should donate to our security trust fund. We must also motivate the security officers, also we need to improve our registration agency. We should also have CCTV in strategic places”.

Hon. Rauf Age-Sulaimon (Amuwo-Odofin 2), stated that to address the security challenges, government must redefine the national interest, adding that it was need to increase the police personnel.

” The national interest must be redefined. The government ought to secure lives and properties. The interest of the state and national interest must be paramount.

” It seems there is no law or order. The urgent need is to increase the police personnel. The number of miscreants is always more. If we have enough police and the security institutions are empowered, it would be better. Security is the most important subject in Nigeria now. The way motorcycle operators move is alarming. We can give them ultimatum. They should be restricted in certain places so that they can move to where they come from”.

Corroborating the comments of his colleagues, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, said the insecurity challenge was multi-dimensional, adding that there was need for massive recruitment into the security agencies.

“The security issue is multi-dimensional. It is local and has foreign components. We have the Boko  Haram and bandit. Some wealthy people make use of these men. We also have militancy in the South South. Here, we have armed robbery.

” We have foreign components with ISIS and ISWAP. We need security summits, which should start from states and then national security summits. We also need massive recruitments into our security agencies. This will reduce the number of people the hoodlums are recruiting and also provide employment for the youths.

” We can purchase arms and weapons from foreign countries and let them give us security intelligence reports”, said Eshinlokun-Sanni.

However, the Speaker of the House, Rt (Hon) Mudashiru Obasa, said that there was need for President Buhari to address the security challenges facing the country, adding that policies should be friendly to attract foreign investments.

Obasa added that government should do things that would discourage people against crimes, adding that there was need to restructure the country.

” I agree that there is a need for the President to address the issue of security. We should address our policies and start the ones that are friendly. The hardship the youths are going through is very important to look into. They are idle and jobless and they just roam the streets.  The Federal Government should do things that are sympathetic to the people.

” We should go beyond what we do with N Power, we should do things that will discourage people against crimes. We need to go into restructuring. Our national coexistence should be of concern. No part of the country should feel neglected. People should have the intention of protecting the country and not talking about Biafra, IPOB and Oodua Republic. The power of the federal government is too much.

” The National Assembly has been talking, but they should go beyond talking. The federal government should talk about restructuring, state police, economic development of states through resource control should be emphasized. We cannot continue like this. Our situation might not be volatile, but we don’t have to wait. The issue of Okada riders should be looked into as most of them are foreigners. Okada riding is due to the failure of the government, but we have to take action now.

” We should increase the number of our security outfits in Lagos State. We should have CCTV around us to prevent what we don’t want in the state. We must be ahead of every situation in our state”, said Obasa.