…as police, others express concern over some clauses
By Gloria Ikibah
State Houses of Assembly and several key stakeholders have expressed strong support for the creation of a Legislative Security Directorate at the National Assembly, even as some security agencies, including the Nigeria Police, raised reservations about certain aspects of the proposed legislation.
The submissions came during a public hearing convened by the House of Representatives Committee on Internal Security, on “A Bill for an act to provide for the establishment and the functions of legislative security directorate in the National Assembly, to provide for the qualification and condition of service of the Sergeant -At-Arms and other personnel of the directorate and for related matters, 2024, on Tuesday in Abuja.
The piece of legislation seek to establish and define the functions of the Legislative Security Directorate, as well as the conditions of service for the Sergeant-at-Arms and related personnel.
In his remarks, the Committee Chairman, Rep. Garba Muhammad stressed the urgent need to enhance security across all arms of government, particularly the Legislature, which he noted experiences significant daily movement of lawmakers, staff, executive officials, civil society representatives, and visitors.
He highlighted persistent security challenges within the National Assembly complex, including incidents of theft, vandalism, unauthorised access, fake identification, and unregulated trading, describing the proposed Directorate as a key step towards instituting global best practices in parliamentary security management.
While most participants endorsed the bill, the Nigeria Police, represented by AIG Emmanuel Aina, cautioned that establishing a new security body within the Legislature could create overlapping roles and administrative conflicts with existing security agencies.
The committee is expected to review all submissions before forwarding its recommendations to the House for further legislative action.
He said, “While the intent to strengthen security in the National Assembly is commendable, establishing a new Directorate could undermine existing collaborative arrangements among security agencies already performing these functions effectively.”
Similarly, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) supported the Bill in principle but expressed reservations about certain clauses.
The Corps noted that in other jurisdictions such as the United States and Canada, parliamentary security is coordinated under the police or a designated agency, with the Sergeant-At-Arms playing a central role in security administration.
In contrast, several State Assemblies fully endorsed the proposal.
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly, represented by its Deputy Clerk, Paul Samuel, described the Bill as timely, saying it would “strengthen security within the legislature and ensure career progression similar to the civil service.”
The Kano State House of Assembly, represented by Hon. Tukur Muhammed (Fagge Constituency), and the Plateau State House of Assembly, represented by Deputy Sergeant-At-Arms Sokowar John, also expressed full support for the Bill.
Likewise, the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), represented by its President, Comrade Mohammed, declared its “total support” for the proposed Directorate.
Responding to concerns raised by some stakeholders over whether the Directorate’s personnel would be authorized to bear arms, the Sergeant-At-Arms of the National Assembly clarified that only trained and legally authorized officers would handle arms.
He said, “Handling arms requires proper authorization and training. Our personnel undergo specialized security training and have demonstrated professionalism in collaborating with other security agencies within the National Assembly.”
