President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has called for
collaboration of the 36 States’ Assembly in the amendment of the 1999
Constitution to provide for State and Community Policing in the country.
Saraki spoke when the 36 States Assembly Speakers, led by its Chairman and
Speaker of the Gombe State House of Assembly, Hon. Abdulmumin Ismaila
Kamba, paid a thank you visit to leadership of the Senate, for passing the
Bill which granted financial autonomy to State Legislatures.
The President of the Senate, according to a statement by his Special
Assistant on Print Media, Chuks Okocha, stated that State and Community
Policing in the country has become imperative due to rising security
challenges.
Saraki said: “You are all aware of the challenges we are currently facing
in this country, particularly that of insecurity. There is no doubt that
the security architecture of this country presently cannot meet the
demands and challenges before it.
“One of the decisions we took today is to address the issue of State and
Community Policing. In doing that, we gave our Constitution Amendment
Committee two weeks to bring to the floor a Bill on State and Community
Policing. The House of Representatives is also working along similar
lines.
“We will send it to the States’ Assembly to seek your support. We believe
that no responsible country or society can continue to watch helplessly as
our people are being killed.
“We must appeal to our people that we must live in peace and harmony and
we must be able to resolve our issues peacefully. As Speakers, I urge you
to play your part,” he stated.
Earlier, the Chairman of the States’ Assembly Speakers Conference, Hon.
Kamba, said that they were at the National Assembly to thank the
leadership of the Senate for passing the State Assembly Financial Autonomy
bill which has been signed into law.