From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives has resolved to engage the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in the redevelopment of the country’s security measures.
The House also resolved to revisit the report of the 9th House of Representatives Special Committee on National Security, review the document, and consider its recommendations. It also resolved to adopt the report and “take the necessary actions for the full implementation of its recommendations by the Executive.”
This followed the adoption of a motion by Abdussamad Dasuki, on “need to revisit and adopt the reports of the 9th House of Representatives Special Committee on Security, “.
Dasuki, in his lead debate, stated that the country is confront with several security challenges, including insurgency, terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes, cybercrime, and other criminal activities affecting citizens in different geo-political zones.
The lawmaker recalled that the the 9th Assembly House established a Special Committee on National Security to address the deteriorating security situation in the country.
According to him, the committee, which consisted of lawmakers and experts, working closely with relevant security agencies, analysed the root causes of these challenges and propose actionable solutions.
He stated that the Committee’s finding highlighted the country’s security challenges, including
non-kinetic strategies, overlapping security institutions, professionalism issues, state-based militias, regional collaboration difficulties, ethnic and religious tensions, poor border control, corruption, and environmental issues.
Dasuki, while stressing the need to revisit the report of the Special Security Committee, noted that the security situation in the country, requires critical and urgent interventions, as indicated by report.
“As at last Thursday, the 10th Assembly has discussed 103 security related motions, which means a lot. The implication of that is that we take security of our constituents as the topmost priority.
“Like we have seen today again with additional security related motions, that is why I bring back this motion which has a lot of recommendations that is going to help Nigeria in general. The whole idea of bringing this recommendation is that we don’t have to waste taxpayers money again and I strongly believe that by the time this report is brought before the 10th House of Representatives, I believe justice will be done to that report.
“And I believe the implementation will be made much easier in view of the fact that the executive has never had it this good that it has members of the parliament who are overseeing majority of it’s executive position.
“They know the implication of having a summit of this magnitude and the most important thing which I believe is going to help us fast track the report is the fact that the chairman of that committee was the then Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, he is also part of the executive,” he stated.