Buhari urged to address Nigerians on insecurity

By Oyebola Owolabi

Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to address Nigerians over the insecurity and rising sectional agitations across the country.

The House said it supported the decisions taken by southern governors, especially the ban on open grazing and calls for restructuring.

Deputy House Leader Noheem Adams noted that the Assembly had always called for the establishment of state police.

He urged his colleagues to support the governors, as they have shown that they are alive to their responsibilities.

He, however, urged the governors to start restructuring in their states by implementing autonomy for the legislature and judiciary.

Kehinde Joseph said the Act establishing the Nigeria Police Force should be reviewed to allow the creation of state police.

Jimi Mohammed, who corroborated Joseph, said the decision of the southern governors boils down to insecurity. “We can’t clamour enough for the creation of state police,” he noted.

Speaker Mudashiru Obasa hailed the governors for speaking out, especially at a time insecurity had taken the ‘front seat’ of discussions.

Sanni Okanlawon said the governors have made a statement by calling for the ban on open grazing, which he described as “archaic and leading to the death of many”.

He stressed that restructuring of the country was long overdue, and praised the southern governors for their other decisions.

House Leader Sanai Agunbiade said: “A country cannot be drifting this way and the president is quiet. The president must address this country and assuage nerves.

“The National Assembly should come up with a bill to address the issue of state police. The bandits are multiplying like amoeba.”

Speaker Mudashiru Obasa hailed the governors for speaking out, especially at a time insecurity had taken the ‘front seat’ of discussions. He also praised some members of the National Assembly for supporting the governors.

Obasa, who lamented the rise in the number of groups agitating for secession, insisted that Nigeria can be restructured if there is the willpower.

“People are getting tired of the call for constitutional conference because nothing had happened to previous ones. Nigeria needs true federalism at this stage,” he said.