Insecurity: House Calls For Establishment Of State Police

.
.
.
Condemns attacks on Senators BEVERLY HILLS, CA, January 13, (THEWILL) - Worried by the growing insecurity in the country, the House of Representatives on Monday  said it is high time states be allowed to establish local police.

Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon.

Zakari Mohammed, made this known at a briefing in Abuja.

He said the recent attacks had lend credence to the call for the setting up of a localised police so as to address the security challenges in the 36 states of the country.

The House spokesman said the security challenges the country is going through in some states, calls for the establishment of state police so as to immediately arrest the trend.

"With the security challenges in the country and the events of the recent past, we are beginning to think that those who are calling for state police are not out of place.

"If we have a localised police like the sheriffs who act as neighbourhood guards in other developed economies and climes, the operatives know who lives where and also avert the loss  of lives and damage while working hand in hand with the Federal police," he said.

He condemned the separate attacks last Sunday on Senators Ali Mohammed Ndume (PDP, Borno) and Magnus Abe (APC, Rivers).

He called on the Federal Government and the relevant agencies to investigate the incidents and bring the perpetrators to book.

According to Mohammed, the attacks on the two senators "calls to question the quality and training pattern of some of the security operatives.

" He added: "We call on the Federal Government and the relevant agencies to investigate and bring the perpetrators to book.

" Mohammed, who also announced the postponement of House resumption date to january 21,  said on resumption, the lower chamber would take  a critical look at the 50 questions posed to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister  of the Economy, Dr.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,  by the House  Committee on Finance.

On the recent defection of 37 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), which is now threatening the majority of PDP, Mohammed said  both the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal,  and his Deputy, Emeka Ihedioha, would not be changed, saying they are both the product of the collective decision of the members.

By Saint Mugaga, Abuja