Connect with us

News

Speaker Abbas Says 400,000 Policemen Not Enough To Secure Nigeria’s Population

Published

on

…seeks collaboration with State Assemblies on constitutional amendments
By Gloria Ikibah
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, has said that the 400,000 policemen in service is not sufficient to provide security to over 200 million Nigerians.
Speaking during a courtesy call by the Association of Clerks of State Houses of Assembly on Thursday, Abbas who was represented by Deputy Speaker, Rep. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, said that it is necessary to establish state police.
He said state policing will increase internal security because the operators are already familiar with the terrain they are to police.
Abbas said that the establishment of State Police is akin to the amendments made to issues of railway, power amongst others by the 9th National Assembly to enable the States enjoy some constitution rights under the concurrent list to delve into those issues.
He said: “On other key nationally important matters like state police, for example, the House recognizes the diverse perspectives and needs across different states. We believe that through constructive dialogue and a willingness to find common ground, we can arrive at solutions that truly serves the best interests of all Nigerians.
“Talking about state Police, you will remember also that we did something with the Correctional Services. These are issues that ordinarily fall into the exclusive list of the Constitution of the federal of republic of Nigeria which you had no business tampering with. But in the spirit of true federalism, the 9th and 10th Assemblies are determined to bring some of these for better governance to take it from the exclusive list to the concurrent list. We did that with the railway and power in the 9th assembly. The question is, how many of the states have drafted laws, domesticating that in their state?
“Now, the State Police is here. We want to use the legislative intervention to improve the needs in our society. One of our needs is security. And we have tried the one layer police system and they overwhelmed us. The truth remains that 400, 000 policemen, policing over 200 million people can never give you the expected security. It is not even in line with the international best practices on police per citizen policing.
“How do we make it trickle down and achieve what we are looking for. Imagine a brother of mine trained in Sokoto or Kaduna during his training as a policeman and he finished and was sent to Bayelsa, a riverine area where the culture is different, language is different, even the way of movement is different -they use mainly boats and this our brother has a phobia for water, how do you expect him to police the people who swim? The policing will not be thorough. But take a man from that community who knows the in and out of the geography of the area, train him around that place, send him to police, you will agree with me that he will police better. The same thing if you take my brother from Bayelsa to Sokoto, he will not police better than the Sokoto man.
“Yet, the spirit of one nation, national integration, federal character is key and cannot be tampered with. That is why the federal police can have the coloration of what it is at the moment.
“And another thing is, if we don’t streamline it,  you will see pockets of organizations, vigilante groups springing up everyday, getting armed everyday. If tomorrow we are not able to manage them in line with the core principle of policing, we may end up creating monsters that will add to insecurity.”
Abbas also called for collaborations among the national parliament and the State Assemblies with regards to the ongoing constitutional amendments.
He said that the synergy was necessary if lofty results were to be achieved.
“The House of Representatives recognizes the crucial role State Assemblies play in shaping the fabric of our nation. We understand that effective governance in a federal system like ours requires inter-governmental collaboration and synergy between the government at the center and the federating units.
“The Nigerian constitutional amendment process has long been a subject of national discourse, and rightfully so because the society is dynamic. It presents a unique opportunity to address critical issues, strengthen our institutions, and pave the way for a more prosperous, enviable and equitable future for all Nigerians.
“However, this process cannot succeed without a unified front. It’s been tested time and again that the federal legislature in isolation of the states legislature cannot amend the grundnom. The constitution is clear on that. Responsibility is shared.
“The House of Representatives firmly believes that collaboration between the National Assembly and State Assemblies is essential to achieve meaningful and lasting reforms. The clerks are the backbones of the State legislature.
“We are committed to working closely with you, the Clerks who serve as the backbone of your respective legislative houses, to ensure open communication, exchange of ideas, and a shared understanding of the issues at stake”, he said.
Earlier in her presentation, the chairman and leadership of the delegation, Rukaiyatu Adamu Jalo told the Speaker that their mission to the House was to seek collaboration with the House, appreciate the national assembly for the passage of the autonomy for state legislature and judiciary bill into law and to understudy the national parliament on the implementation of practice and procedures of legislative business.
Bemoaning the non implementation of the act in many states, Adamu appealed to the House leadership to interface with the Forum of State Speakers to resolve the issue.
Continue Reading
Advertisement

News

Finally, Senator Shehu Sani Dumps PDP For APC

Published

on

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

A former lawmaker who represented Kaduna Central at the 8th Assembly, Shehu Sani, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, welcomed Sani alongside 49 other political stalwarts who defected to the APC at the Murtala Square at a mega rally held on Saturday.

Sani stated that the defectors would enjoy the same rights and privileges as other party members, stressing there was no difference between a party member who joined it recently and those who were in APC ten years ago.

Advertisement

Sani urged the decampees to notify their supporters of the readiness of APC to accept them into the party as their doors were still open to receive more defectors.

According to him, the popularity and acceptability of APC is because of its just leadership at both the state and federal levels.

He said: “Someone who joined APC today and the one who has been a foundation member 10 years ago, they are of the same status. They will enjoy the same rights and privileges.

“Politics is different from governance. We will be fair to all, whether or not they voted for us, because that is the oath of office that we swore to uphold as leaders.”

Advertisement

Governor Sani, who argued that leaders were not infallible and were bound to make mistakes like anyone, pleaded with the leaders to always point out their mistakes to correct them.

The Governor reminded the APC faithful that the leaders would be held accountable hereafter regarding how they led the people God entrusted to them.

Prominent amongst those who decamped to APC were former Governor of the state, Alhaji Muktar Ramalan-Yero, Sen. Shehu Sani, Sen. Suleiman Hunkuyi, the gubernatorial candidate of NNPP in the 2023 General Elections, also former gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Sani Sha’aban, Sen. Danjuma Laah who represented Zone three at the Senate on the platform of PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha, former National Organising Secretary of PDP and Amb. Sule Buba, former Nigeria’s Envoy to South Korea.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

News

Gates of Hell to Open in Gaza: Netanyahu cautions Hamas

Published

on

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to unleash devastating consequences on Gaza if Hamas fails to return all hostages, warning that the “gates of hell” will open if the militant group does not comply.

In a joint statement with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel and the US have a shared strategy to tackle the Palestinian militants, and that Hamas’s military capability and political rule in Gaza will be eliminated. The Israeli Prime Minister also expressed his commitment to bringing all hostages home and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel.

Netanyahu’s comments come as US President Donald Trump has proposed a bold and controversial plan for Gaza’s future, suggesting that the US take over the territory and transform it into a “Riviera of the Middle East”.

Advertisement

First priority for Trump is to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack

The plan, which involves resettling Gaza’s two million Palestinian residents in other countries, has sparked widespread outrage and criticism. Rubio, however, defended Trump’s proposal, saying that it represents a bold and courageous vision for Gaza’s future, one that breaks away from the “tired ideas of the past”.

The US Secretary of State emphasized that Hamas cannot continue to operate as a military or government force, and that it must be eradicated. He also stressed that the first priority for Trump is to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack. With tensions escalating in the region, it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold, but one thing is clear: the stakes are high, and the consequences of inaction could be devastating.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

News

Tigran Gambaryan: A Despicable Agent of Malice Against Ginger Onwusibe ,Colleagues

Published

on

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

A group of civil society organizations under the aegis of Alliance for credible legislative conduct has carpeted Tigran Gambaryan, an American personnel of Binance for attempting to soil the integrity and great reputation of some Nigerian congressmen over unfounded bribery allegations

Top parliamentarians from the Nigerian House of Representatives which include, Ginger Onwusibe who is Chairman House Committee on Financial Crimes, Hon Phillip Agbese ,Deputy spokesperson and Hon Peter Akpanke , are beign spotted by the American for alleged sleaze.

According to the group, the American is attempting to use cheap blackmail to hound and payback the lawmakers after they investigated him for various financial infractions and misdeeds in Nigeria

Advertisement

“It is clear that Tigran Gambaryan having made solo attempts on behalf of Binance to commit huge financial crimes in Nigeria, and having failed miserably to have his way, which led to his investigation and ultimate incarceration, has now turned full circle to unleash a pound of flesh against patriotic Nigerian law makers,( who investigated him) which has now manifested in his fictional claims that he was asked to pay the sum of a $150 million bribe while he was in detention”, the group which is an affiliate of the United of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, stated

Alliance for Credible Legislative Conduct in a statement issued and signed by its President, Abdulrasheed Rufai, PhD and Secretary, Benson Alfred Akor, noted that Tigran was a drowning man who wants to drag credible Nigerian lawmakers along

They added that his case is a baffling orchestrated web of malice and a piece of garbage concocted against honourable members of House of Representatives, and as such should be disregarded by Nigerians.

*Below is the full text of the Press statement:*

Advertisement

“Our attention was drawn to the recent allegations of bribery made by Tigran Gambaryan, an American personnel of Binance against Hon. Ginger Onwusibe, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Financial Crimes; Hon. Philip Agbese, Deputy Spokesperson, House of Representatives, and Hon. Peter Akpanke.

Having looked at the matter painstakingly and exhaustively, we discovered that Gambaryan, who was recently tried in Nigeria for financial crimes; held for months over allegations of money laundering and aiding criminal activities, and was released on humanitarian grounds, after the charges were dropped following U.S. government intervention, is indeed a despicable agent of malice.

It is clear that Tigran Gambaryan having made solo attempts on behalf of Binance to commit huge financial crimes in Nigeria, and having failed miserably to have his way, which led to his investigation and ultimate incarceration, has now turned full circle to unleash a pound of flesh against patriotic Nigerian law makers,( who investigated him) which has now manifested in his fictional claims that he was asked to pay the sum of a $150 million bribe while he was in detention.

Having dissected the position of both the Federal Government of Nigeria, and that of the House of Representatives about the unfortunate saga of Tigran Gambaryan and Binance, we as civil society organizations …… conclude, that what is playing out is a case of baffling orchestrated web of malice and a piece of garbage concocted against honourable members of House of Representatives.

Advertisement

In the light of the above, we hereby use this medium to tell Nigerian people never to fall for the desperate antics of a man already in the pit of disgrace looking for who to rob with his mud.

In condemning this insane, ridiculous and absurd development, it is very obvious that
Tigran Gambaryan is simply on a calculative mission to create unwarranted tension within the National Assembly, embarrass and disrespect the Federal Government of Nigeria. This we will not allow to happen”

Signed:

ABDULRASHEED RUFAI PhD
PRESIDENT

Advertisement

BENSON ALFRED AKOR
SECRETARY

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 Naija Blitz News