The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) says the National Assembly’s call for declaration of a state of emergency on insecurity will allow President Muhammadu Buhari to take extra constitutional actions to address the nation’s security challenges.
Its Chairman in Lagos State, Mr Ehi Omokuhale, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos that the call was apt.
Omokuhale said Nigerians had been subjected to banditry, kidnapping and terrorists’ attacks, which he said, had eroded safety from across Nigeria steadily.
The Senate had on Feb.17 in its resolution called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency on the menace of insecurity bedeviling the country.
It also insisted that government must suspend normal constitutional procedures in order to regain control of the situation.
According to Omokuhale, the National Assembly’s call on President Muhammadu Buhari-led executive to declare a state of emergency on insecurity, is long overdue, given the degenerate state of our national and internal security.
He said that such declaration would allow the President to take urgent and unhindered approval of urgent funds for the procurement of standard warfare equipment.
“Also, it will ensure empowerment of regional forces and vigilance outfits which will surely augment our military activities.
“Unfortunately, a constitutional restructure, which would have legalised state police or regional outfits is not in place.
“In recent times, failure to adequately secure Nigerians has resulted in private outfits and, even militant individuals to provide security for their environment’s extra judicially.
“Other examples are issuing presidential order that will optimise the surveillance of our porous border points, and power to hire the right security chiefs without waiting endlessly for NASS for approval,’’ Omokuhale said.
He said that all sectors of the Nigerian society today require emergencies.
“But, let us start with security emergency, because all the sectors cannot thrive on an insecure base,” Omokuhale said.
He said that bureaucracy and protocol of democracy were impeding the fight against terrorism and criminality in Nigeria. (NAN)
