James Emejo in Abuja
For the umpteenth time, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, wednesday stated that the increased violence and unlawful killings as well as general feeling of insecurity among Nigerians are clear evidence that there are problems with the country’s security architecture needed to be reviewed.
Speaking when he received a delegation from the Police Service Commission (PSC) who paid him a courtesy call in his office, he appealed to the police to focus on its primary responsibility of curbing crime, terrorism and violence starting from the recruitment process of its officers and men, in order to give Nigerians respite from incessant security challenges.
He noted that over the years, various Acts of parliament have set up other security agencies that have taken up roles hitherto carried out by the police, leaving it now with the responsibility of curbing crime and violence.
He said law and order are central to successful democracy adding that since no democracy is stronger than the total architecture that secures the order on which that democracy is built, citizens cannot even begin to enjoy the benefits of democracy if there is no peace.
The Speaker said: “Unfortunately, we have run into a situation where our democracy is being threatened by sundry acts of violence, mayhem or bedlam, as you can call it. To be candid, when a society is filled with violence, unlawful killings and general feeling of insecurity, those things don’t just come, they are symptoms of a larger problem.
“They are indicative that something is wrong with our security architecture. And I don’t know what the problems are, but as leaders, all these symptoms call for some kind of investigation and investment in order to ensure that whatever problems are there, we’ll correct them.â€
He said: “We can start dealing with this kind of problem even from the recruitment process to ensure that the people we are getting into the services have the right temperament, they are teachable in a way that they can naturally be molded as a force that can be safeguard to our democracy.
“Our commitment to issues of security, as a House that represents the entirety of Nigeria is unshakable. We’ve passed landmark legislations relating to establishment of security agencies. We believe that if the police can really focus on this, we will be able to get some kind of respite from the onslaught by sundry criminal groups and even terrorist in this country.â€
Responding to a request made by the delegation for speedy passage of the bill establishing Police Academy to accord it a university status, the Speaker promised that the green chamber would work swiftly on it to give the institution legal backing.
Earlier, Chairman of PSC and former Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Mike Okiro, who led the delegation, said they were on the visit to urge the House to give speedy passage to the establishment Bill of Police Academy, Wudil, whose students would be graduating in October, this year.
He said the certificates of the students would be rendered useless if the bill is not passed before they are graduated.
