Insecurity: Bill to Coordinate Security Agencies’ Activities Passes Second Reading

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a Bill seeking to establish a National Security Coordination Centre in the country to coordinate activities of security agencies.

The proposed legislation titled: ‘A Bill for an Act to Establish National Security Coordination Centre in the Country for all Security Agencies Coordination in Combating Acts of Terrorism including Banditry, Kidnappings; and for Related Matters 1772),’ was sponsored by Hon. Ahmed Munir (APC, Kaduna) and Magaji Da’u Aliyu (APC, Jigawa).

Leading the debate on its general principles, Munir explained that the Bill seeks to coordinate the activities of the various security agencies fighting insecurity, banditry and other security challenges in the country.

He said the agency, when established, will eliminate inter-agency rivalries and strengthen the operations of the agencies who sometimes work at cross purposes on the same operations.

According to him, there is the need to have an agency that will coordinate the activities of all security agencies in order to have a clear focus on all operations by the agencies.

He said: “The objective are as follows, to ensure the coordination, formulation and implementation of counter terrorism strategy and build capacity of men and women in the security sector to be deployed to the field to discharge their functions, upgrading security architecture to possess 21st century method and tools to face the present day threat and to boost inter agency collaboration.”

Thereafter, the bill was voted on, passed for second reading and referred to the House Committee on Intelligence and National Security.