The House of Representatives, on Thursday, asked the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to adopt community policing as outlined in Section 15 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020.
The call followed the adoption of a motion on a matter of urgent public importance by Asama Ago, a member of the Labour Party from Plateau State.
Ago noted that the House had passed several resolutions in the past with little or no improvement in the security situation in Plateau State.
He said, “The House is aware that the Police Act, 2020 provides for the establishment of community policing as stipulated explicitly in Section 113, 114, 116 and 117 of the Act.
“Section 113 (1) says for the effective and efficient policing of communities in a state or Federal Capital Territory, the Commissioner of Police of a state shall establish a Community Policing Committee which shall consist of representatives of the Police Force and the local community in the state.
“It says the Commissioner of Police of a state shall establish a Community Sub-policing Committee at all Divisional Police Headquarters in the state or Federal Capital Territory.
“Subject to section 116 (1) (b) of this Act, the Commissioner of Police and members designated by him from time to time for the purpose, shall be members of the Policing Committees and Sub-Policing Committees established at various police formations.
“Section 114 (1) says a Commissioner of Police of a state or the Federal Capital Territory shall, in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders in the community, establish a Divisional Community Policing Committee in all police divisions within the state.”
Ruling on the motion, Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, mandated the House Committees on Police Affairs and Legislative Compliance to engage with the IG to ensure compliance and report back to the House within four weeks.
Meanwhile, the House also on Thursday asked the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, and the IG to deploy additional personnel to the Fika/Fune Federal Constituency of Yobe State to address the security challenges in the area.
The position of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion of matter of urgent public importance sponsored by the lawmaker representing Fika/Fune Federal Constituency, Mohammed Jajere during the House plenary session.
Leading the debate on the motion, Jajere said the state of insecurity in the Fika Local Government Area and its environs had assumed a troubling dimension.
He told his colleagues that the Gurjaje settlement in the Fika Local Government was razed down on February 12, 2024, by suspected bandits, leading to the death of one person and injuries to scores of others. He added that properties worth millions of Nigerians were destroyed.
“The House is concerned that many rural dwellers have been displaced on account of this onslaught while agricultural activities have been greatly paralysed leading to economic loss to the Fika LGA in Yobe and the nation at large.
“I am worried that several villages in the local government area now live in fear and the majority of them have been displaced and disposed of their valuable source of income,” he said.
Ruling on the motion, Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, mandated the Committees on Army and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance.
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Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
