Senate Demands Decentralization Of Police, Asks FG To Suspend 5G Deployment

As a way of better addressing the country’s problem of insecurity, the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly on Tuesday called for the de-centralization of the Nigeria Police Force and the introduction of community policing.

This formed part of the recommendations of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Nigeria Security Challenges which was considered and approved during the day’s plenary.

AllNews recalls that the red chamber had set up an Ad-hoc Committee on Nigeria Security Challenges on January 29, 2020, under the Chairmanship of the Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi.

Senate Spokesman, Senator Ajibola Basiru, in a statement in Abuja, disclosed that the committee, in its report, made wide ranging recommendations which were also approved by the upper chamber.

The Senate urged the executive arm of government to direct the Ministry of Police Affairs and the Inspector General of Police to “decentralize the police command structure with operational and budgetary powers” vested in the zonal commands.

The Federal Government was also urged to set up Zonal Security Advisory Committees at each Zonal Command to advise on the security challenges facing each zone.

The composition of the Zonal Advisory Council as proposed by the upper chamber include; Governors in the Zone; Zonal AIG of Police; State Commissioners of Police in the Zone; State Directors of the Department of State Security Service; Zonal Immigration Officers; Zonal Customs Officers; and Representative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps in the Zone.

Others are: Representative of the Nigeria Correctional Service in the Zone; Chairmen of State Traditional Rulers Council in the Zone; Faith-based Leaders in the Zone; Civil Society Representatives in the Zone; Representative of Senators from the Zone; Representative of Members of House of Representatives from the Zone; Representatives of Business Community and Labour in the Zone; and any Person or persons deemed to be useful and relevant, taking into account the socio-cultural peculiarities of the zone.

Recommendations were also made for the expansion of the State Security Council and constitution of Area Command, Local Government and Ward Level Advisory Councils.

The Senate, accordingly, asked the Federal Government to direct the Ministry of Police affairs and the Inspector General of Police to immediately implement the Community Policing Strategy involving local stakeholders at the grassroots, and traditional rulers with a view to addressing local security challenges.

While calling on the state assemblies to make necessary laws to legalize community policing to be established at the Local Government level, the Senate tasked State Governors to fund community policing from grants appropriated to each Local Government.

Meanwhile, the Senate has asked the Federal Government to suspend the planned deployment of the Fifth Generation, 5G Network in Nigeria. This came after the deliberation on a motion by Senator Uche Ekwunife which drew the attention of her colleagues to the status of the 5G network in the country.

Ekwunife said her motion was borne out of the need to assure Nigerians of their safety by asking the Federal Government to postpone the launch until a proper investigation was carried out.

The Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, said the 5G network deployment remained a controversial issue.

He said the experts should be allowed to handle it and deliberate on the merits and demerits of its deployment.

On his part, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele said it would be irresponsible of any government to subscribe to a technology that won’t be safe for its citizens.

Pointing out that no scientific research has been done by any agency of the Federal Government on the 5G network, he said countries in Europe were already investigating the implications of the deployment and wondered why Nigeria had yet to do so.

The Senate therefore asked its committees on Communication, Science, Technology and ICT, and that of Health to conduct a thorough investigation with a view to determining the status of the 5G network in the country.

In the interim, relevant federal agency supervising the ICT operations in the country were asked to suspend the 5G deployment until a thorough probe to determine its suitability for human health had been achieved. The joint committees were asked to submit its report within four weeks.