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Security challenges:Niger House of Assembly to harmonise activities of local vigilantees
Olabode Adaramola
Apparently concerned by the high level of security challenges that bedevils Niger state, the state house of assembly is set to harmonise the activities of local vigilantes to make the operations of the security body more responsive.
This was against the backdrops of numerous security challenges confronting the state in recent times , occasioned by the activities of kidnappers, cattle rustlers and other sundry pockets of crimes.
A private member bill to achieve this objective was on Thursday presented to the house for the first reading.
The bill which was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the House Committee on Security Hon. Hussaini Ibrahim (APC Lapai) and three other members will attempt to bring the three vigilante groups in the state under one umbrella with a commander.
Giving details of the bill Hon. Hussani Ibrahim said the present practice where the three vigilante groups in the state were operating at cross purposes was not good enough for the security of the state.
The Deputy Speaker also explained that the law would attempt to provide the minimum requirement for employment into any of the vigilante groups with service in any of the security agencies in the country one of the major criteria for recruitment.
Further more, he explained that the bill if passed into law would make the payment of salaries and allowances to members of the vigilantes would be the joint responsibility of both the state and the local government councils while Commanders of the group would have four year tenure renewable for another term.
Alhaji Hussaini Ibrahim said that in addition, if passed into law it would also be illegal for any vigilante group in the state to detain any suspect saying that “though they will have power of arrest they must release the suspect to the police for prosecution”.
The bill was sent to the house committee on security and given up to December 14 2016 to report back to the house.
The sponsor of the bill Hon. Hussani Ibrahim told news men shortly after its Thursday sitting that if the passed into law the bill will assist to en trench peace and stability in the state in the face of the current security challenges facing the state.
