Amotekun:Lagos Assembly to hold public hearing on Monday

IBRAHIM QUADRI

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday took the first and second reading of a Bill to set up the South West Security outfit codenamed, Amotekun.

Also the House has fixed a public hearing on the outfit for Monday 24th February, 2020.

Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa subsequently committed the Bill to the House Committee on Information, Publicity, Security and Strategy for the hearing.

The committee, headed by Hon. Tunde Braimoh was directed during plenary on Thursday 20th February, 2020 to report back to the House sine die.

The Clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni had informed the House that he received a letter from the state’s Commissioner for Justice on Wednesday 19th February, 2020 on the amendment of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC).

He was subsequently ordered to read the Bill entitled a House of Assembly Bill No. 5 Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC) Amendment Bill 2020 And for Connected Purposes for the first and second times.

Leading the debate, the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade (Ikorodu 1) said that the Bill is an executive bill, but that it is predicated on the member bill that established LNSC, which he said has been working well.

Agunbiade added that the Bill is incorporating the concept of a more dynamic and more strengthened security platform that what they had in Lagos State.

“It is meant to energise and strengthen the security that we have in Lagos based on the challenges in Lagos State and in the South West.

“It tries to create a unit out of the LNSC to be referred to Amotekun Corps to take charge of security in certain areas such at in the forest, highway and other places to protect us against hoodlums, cattle rustling and others.

“It will have a commander and Amotekun Corps would bear harms with the permission of the police. They will cooperate with other security platforms in Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti and Osun States,” he said.

The Majority Leader stressed that LNSC has a clause that will be provided for Amotekun.

In his contribution, Hon. Oluyinka Ogundimu, (Agege 2), while supporting the Bill, commended the foresight of the Lagos State House of Assembly on the security of the state.

Ogundimu stated that the law covers wider areas and made internal security as a priority. 

He called for local content in the bill, adding that they need people with native intelligence, and that whoever would be appointed as the Head of the unit should be approved by the House.

Hon. Olumuyiwa Jimoh, (Apapa 2 said that there is a problem of nomenclature in the Bill.

Jimoh stated that the Nigerian Police had been existing before independence and that the people had been talking about their reforms.

“The colonialists formed the Nigerian Police for us in 1930 and we have not made efforts to form our own security force.

“The population of men of the Nigerian Police is small. We should encourage men of Amotekun to be armed and to be able to arrest and prosecute.

“South Africans have their own native police that checkmate other security forces. We can have the military wing of Amotekun in Lagos,” he said.

In his view, Hon. Rotimi Olowo, (Shomolu 1) said that Amotekun started in Lagos with LNSC, and that the federal police lacks character as their structure has not helped to suppress criminality.

“Security is local and it should be localized. The issue of kidnapping and others give credence to the need for community police.

“They should be allowed to use guns. They can reduce armed robbery attack, kidnapping and others. We should allow more money into the system.

“The recruitment of Amotekun should be localized. They should work in their neighbourhood so that they could apprehend criminals in their areas,” he said.

Hon. Rasheed Makinde, Ifako/Ijaiye 2, “Security is local and we are getting close to having state police. We are setting a pace for other political regions in Nigeria. They can assist when there is any accident on our highways. There would be a collaboration among  the six western states and beyond.

Hon. Victor Akande, Ojo 1 said, “Section 3 that was amended and Section 36 are important. It cuts across other States and they will collaborate. It is not just for the South Western states, but for other states. It will reduce kidnapping and terrorism.”

Hon. Bisi Yusuff, Alimosho 1

I will thank the Speaker for the LNSC that emanated from here. The bill is being given a special attention and others are copying it. Amotekun is very important. It is the fastest animal on earth. When they monitor the city, they can also go into the forest and monitor what is going on there. Those that would be recruited must know the in and out of the areas. They must have native intelligence and have the power of Amotekun. “

Hon. Adedamola Richard Kasunmu: Security measures have to be put in place to secure the South West region.

Hon. Mojisola Miranda, Apapa 1

Amotekun Corps ought to be the local wing of LNSC. No amount is too much to secure lives and security. The board should be expanded.

Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu, Eti Osa 2 explained, “The structure has to be looked into. We have commander and Executive Secretary for Amotekun. The logo should be amended. Some functions are being repeated in the bill. It is timely and necessary.”

Hon. David Setonji, Badagry 2, added:”They should deemphasize paper qualification for the parastatal to work efficiently. We should look locally and employ the people in the community.”

Hon. Tunde Braimoh said, “Governance is about giving meaning to the yearnings and aspirations of the people. What the people of the South West want now is security. People keep talking about Amotekun because that is what they want now. Amotekun emanates from you with the LNSC, which has now transformed to Amotekun. Section 14 (2B) of the Nigerian Constitution of 1919 emphasizes security. There are issues in the bill but they would be looked into.”

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