Lagos Assembly seeks constitution amendment on state police

The Lagos State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, called on the National Assembly to commence a constitutional amendment process that would lead to the establishment of state police.

The state’s 10th Assembly, in its first plenary since inauguration, also called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to urgently equip the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps for effectiveness in performing the task of community policing.

Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, said these actions would stem the increasing spate of insecurity in the country.

Obasa, in a statement by his media aide, Eromosele Ebhomele, noted with concern recent attacks in the country including the killing of some residents in Plateau State and the abduction of the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State, Mr Paul Omotoso.

He said it was the appropriate time for the Senate and the House of Representatives to begin a process of amendment of the constitution to contain the creation of the alternative policing system, adding that the Lagos Assembly is strongly in support of the establishment of state police.

“While I commend the Ninth National Assembly for doing a lot to amend the constitution, there is a need for us to call on the 10th National Assembly to see it as a matter of urgency to make the issue of state policing a major factor of development,” Obasa said.

A member of the House, Gbolahan Yishawu, who lauded Obasa for raising the issue of state police, said, “We remember very well that it was you that sponsored the bill on Neighbourhood Safety Corps and we see what it has done for our State and how other states are copying it.”

The motion was also supported by other lawmakers who complained about the inadequate number of police personnel in Lagos and also suggested police reforms at the national level.

“The lawmakers argued further that the establishment of state police would boost employment across the country,” the statement said.