LSHA Demands State Police, Restructuring, Peaceful Nigeria From Buhari

By Suraju Raji

Lagos state House of Assembly has on Tuesday appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure a peaceful Nigeria where residents can travel from one state to the other without an encounter with bandits, armed robbers or kidnappers.

The house, responding under matter of urgent public importance, to a motion moved by the deputy majority leader, Hon. Noheem Adam, directed President Muhammadu Buhari to address the issue of security in Nigeria, saying that the unity of Nigeria is needed.

They also appealed to president Buhari to review the appointment of political appointees. The law makers emphasized that political appointment must reveal the federal character.

They also stated that president Buhari signed an executive order which guaranteed autonomy of the judiciary and legislature. They argued that the order has not been implemented.

Debating the issue, Hon. David Setonji who is the chairman on information Lagos Assembly, submitted, “The motion has to do with the survival of Nigerians, we paid lip service to security”.

Hon Setonji lamented that people cannot travel from one state to the other without attack by bandits and armed robbers. Setonji also called for restructuring of Nigeria. He said Nigerians are tired of killings.

Hon. Abiodun Tobun in his contribution to the debate, commanded South South governors on their stand on achieving a peaceful Nigeria. Hon. Tobun said ” Cattle rearing should not be used to disturb peoples’ business in the South; they need ranch as it is done in advanced countries”. Tobun therefore referred to the period when chief Obafemi Awolowo established farm settlements for farmers.

On federal appointment, Tobun condemned partiality in the appointment while at the same time lamenting that the need of state police is long overdue.

The speaker ,Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, while responding to the issue of security said “it is not about funding the security outfits, it is whether the fund allocated for security has been judiciously used for security”. Rt Hon. Obasa commended the South/South governors for their leadership quality.

He remarked that the governors expressed what people in the South-South need. He also harped on the need of state police. Obasa therefore expressed worry on the constant killings.

He called for decentralization of police, remarking that restructuring is a good measure to achieve peace and progress in Nigeria. Obasa lamented “We cannot wait for constitutional conference before amendment. We must remove obstacles from our peaceful co-existence. The speaker called for state police.

In addition, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, the majority leader, said “We cannot continue in this way; the president must address the nation and assure Nigerians that we are one entity”. Hon Agunbiade said that the National Assembly must come up with a bill to provide state police, adding that bandits are multiplying like amoeba. At the end of the deliberation, the speaker Rt Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, directed the clerk of the house, Biliamin Olalekan Onafeko, to do the needful to the resolution passed by the law makers.