The Senate at its plenary session on Wednesday, 29 January 2020 constituted an Ad-hoc Committee charged with the responsibility of developing a draft blueprint to address the current security challenges in the country after a debate calling for an urgent review of Nigeria’s Security Architecture was unanimously adopted by lawmakers.
Leading the debate on a motion titled” Nigerian Security Challenges: Urgent need to restructure, review and reorganize the current Security Architecture” the Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Abdullahi Yahaya (APC: Kebbi) noted with concern, the upsurge of insecurity which had impacted negatively on the lives and safety of citizens. He also attributed the several reported cases of terrorism/violent extremism; armed banditry, kidnapping and militancy; organized crimes; border crimes; smuggling and trafficking of firearms as major factors contributing to the failure of Nigeria’s security systems. Sen. Yahaya commended the recent efforts of the Federal Government and urged the Senate to implement strategies that allow for the review of the nature, structure and disposition of security institutions such as the Nigerian Police Force(NPF); Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC); Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA); Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Immigration Service( NIS).
Contributing to the debate, some lawmakers were of the view that the current security deficit had enabled States to embark on self-help initiatives such as the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF), “Hishba”, “Yausakai”, “Yanbanga” and more recently “Operation Amotekun” to protect its indigenes. They also recommended the following interventions as means to address the current insecurity crisis in Nigeria:
- The establishment of community policing;
- The review and re-adoption of Ad-hoc Committee report on Review of Security Infrastructure in Nigeria ( as constituted by the 8th Senate);
- The establishment of State Police through the amendment of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended); and
- The dismissal of serving Service Chiefs and appointment of new Service Chiefs.
- Increased funding for the Nigerian Police Force; and
- Conduct of a briefing session with the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
The Ad-hoc Committee has also been mandated to engage the National Security Adviser on its implementation modalities of the 2019 National Security Strategies.
