Reps seek legal backing for utilisation of security votes, unified transitional justice framework

As part of efforts aimed at ensuring accountability and transparency in the administration of the public funds, the House of Representatives have called for legislative backing for the utilisation of security votes at all levels at the end of four years.

The recommendation was part of the Special Summit on National Security report submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari by the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, which emphasised the need for a declassification period and process for security votes for legislative review and four years thereafter for public access, towards improving the utilisation of the votes for enhancing security.

In line with public clarion call for restructuring of the country, the house also underscored the need for the establishment of development commissions across the six of Nigeria’s geopolitical zones: e.g South-South Development Commission, South West Development Commission, North East Development Commission, South East Development commission, etc.

The lawmakers also stressed the need for the present administration to strengthen the Federal Character law with a view to ensure better and more vigorous enforcement and implementation.

As observed by the house, “every Nigerian deserves to be treated with dignity and rights irrespective of where they may physically be located in the country.”

The house also urged the presidency on the need to establish an interventionist agency (or add to the role of an existing Agency) to identify and provide little investment and sustenance opportunities to ex-convicts, jobless youths, discharged but indigents military and paramilitary personnel, among others; it is being alleged that most of the violent crimes are committed by these classes of citizens.

To this end, the house harped on the need for the regulatory authorities to maintain a central database of convicted persons, persons who have served out their terms, and persons in prisons and awaiting trial.

They also called for the establishment of a national transitional justice framework, noting that the “absence of a unifying transitional justice framework remains a challenge in addressing Nigeria’s intractable conflicts.”

The lawmakers observed that the “existing transitional Justice frameworks e.g., designed to address the Niger-Delta or the Boko Haram insurgency, will require review, towards applying them to the many victims of the other security challenges.”

As part of its recommendation aimed at proffering lasting solutions to the insecurity ravaging the country, the house in the report, called for the deployment of Early Warning Systems nationwide including installation of CCTV cameras and other surveillance, satellite and electronic equipment along major highways, public places, and major cities and our borders.

The house also canvassed the establishment and strengthening of a National Crisis Centre (NCC) within the Nigerian Police.

In the bid to achieve the feat, the lawmakers noted that Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) will be the national coordinating centre for all civil security response actions and monitoring of resolutions of such with monthly reporting on all incidents, and serve as the central place for any Nigerian to report major security incidents.

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Reps seek legal backing for utilisation of security votes, unified transitional justice framework

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