The House of Representatives, on Thursday, asked the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to adopt community policing as outlined in Section 15 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020.
The request came after the acceptance of a motion regarding an urgent public concern raised by Asama Ago, a member of the Labour Party representing Plateau State.
Ago highlighted that despite previous resolutions passed by the House, there has been minimal or no enhancement in the security conditions in Plateau State.
He said, “The House is aware that the Police Act, 2020 provides for the establishment of community policing as stipulated explicitly in Section 113, 114, 116 and 117 of the Act.
“Section 113 (1) says for the effective and efficient policing of communities in a state or Federal Capital Territory, the Commissioner of Police of a state shall establish a Community Policing Committee which shall consist of representatives of the Police Force and the local community in the state.
“It says the Commissioner of Police of a state shall establish a Community Sub-policing Committee at all Divisional Police Headquarters in the state or Federal Capital Territory.
“Subject to section 116 (1) (b) of this Act, the Commissioner of Police and members designated by him from time to time for the purpose, shall be members of the Policing Committees and Sub-Policing Committees established at various police formations.
“Section 114 (1) says a Commissioner of Police of a state or the Federal Capital Territory shall, in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders in the community, establish a Divisional Community Policing Committee in all police divisions within the state.”
Ruling on the motion, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas directed the House Committees on Police Affairs and Legislative Compliance to liaise with the Inspector-General to ensure adherence and provide a report to the House within four weeks.
Simultaneously, during Thursday’s session, the House called upon the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, and the Inspector-General to deploy additional personnel to the Fika/Fune Federal Constituency of Yobe State to tackle the security issues in the region.
This decision by the legislators followed the adoption of an urgent public concern motion presented by the representative of Fika/Fune Federal Constituency, Mohammed Jajere, during the plenary session.
Initiating the debate on the motion, Jajere expressed that the security situation in the Fika Local Government Area and its surroundings had escalated to an alarming extent.
He informed his colleagues about the destruction of the Gurjaje settlement in the Fika Local Government on February 12, 2024, allegedly by bandits. This incident resulted in the loss of life and injuries to numerous individuals, along with the destruction of properties worth millions of naira.
“The House is concerned that many rural dwellers have been displaced on account of this onslaught while agricultural activities have been greatly paralysed leading to economic loss to the Fika LGA in Yobe and the nation at large.
“I am worried that several villages in the local government area now live in fear and the majority of them have been displaced and disposed of their valuable source of income,” he said.
In response to the motion, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas instructed the Committees on Army and Legislative Compliance to ensure adherence.