Year: <span>2020</span>

Lagos State House Committee on Commerce, Industry and Cooperative led by the Chairman, Hon Sanni Okanlawon paid a visit to Lekki trade zone. This is in line with its Statutory duties to oversee the activities of the Free Trade Zone and other industries.

The Committee also visited Alaro City in Epe.

Other members present are Hon. Akinsanya Nureni and Hon Sylvester Ogunkelu.

 

Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday held a day Stakeholders’ Forum on, “A bill for a Law to amend the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency Law 2019 to establish Lagos Amotekun Corps”.

It would be recalled that the House during the last Plenary Session on Thursday committed the Bill to the House Committee on Information, Strategy & Security chaired by Hon. Tunde Braimoh for a Public Hearing.

The Bill which is titled, “A House of Assembly Bill No. 5, Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps LNSC Amendment Bill 2020 and for Connected Purposes” is meant to energize and strengthen the security of Lagos State based on the challenges in the State and South West.

Hon. Tunde Braimoh representing Kosofe II in his Welcome Address, affirmed that Section 14 1(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as variously altered; declares the primary purpose of government as the Security and Welfare of the people and the House of Assembly’s usual manifestation of its unwavering mission which is to be a State House of Assembly poised to make laws for the good governance of Lagos State representing the interest of the people while ensuring judicious use of State resources for the maximum benefit of Lagosians in pursuit of excellence.

“While talking of Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps Law, it would be most unconscionable and uncharitable not to give credit to the progenitor and chief promoter, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly who industriously led the business of thinking out that Bill which today is popularly enthused reference-point legislature.” He said.

He added that the whole essence of the forum is to stimulate and engender robust contributions that will make the proposed Law popularly acceptable and impactful.
Speaker of the House while appreciating the honor granted by the Leaders and eminent personalities that graced the Forum, noted that the bill Lagos Amotekun Corps has generated a lot of argument both in support and against, however, the constitution is so glaring about the issue of security that the lives and properties of people must be protected by every form of government.

“The Lagos State House of Assembly in its own wisdom in 2016 came up with Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency Law to support the Nigerian Police Force and other security organisations to ensure that we do not fail in our responsibilities.”

“We have come to look at the Bill, which will be amended and incorporated into Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency Law and this Bill talks about our borders, forests, and farms around us in Lagos State. This bill has its own peculiarities, especially concerning our challenges and in that wisdom we will look at this Bill and make sure that justice is done. The most important thing is; Amotekun has come to stay and we need to give it the full support.” He said.

The Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade representing Ikorodu I during his presentation of the General Overview of the Bill summarized the amendments incorporated into the Law which consists of 6 critical sections.

Hon.  Agunbiade described the Amotekun symbol as an animal which is brave, strong, that inhabits land and water. “The Lagos State Amotekun Corps subject to approval of the Inspector General of Police has the power to bear licensed arms and Amotekun will not infringe on anybody’s fundamental human rights.”

In his contribution, Hon. Babatunde Balogun, All Progressive Congress APC Chairman while commending the State Assembly noted that Amotekun is a concept which will protect the interest of each State.

Aare Onakakanfo, Otunba Gani Adams also lauded the House for the idea of incorporating Amotekun into the LNSC Law.

“Yoruba is one of the organized race in the world, having this Stakeholders’ Forum will have all individuals draw up their memorandum for the House and at the end of the day, Lagos State will have one of the best Laws for Amotekun. The issue of Amotekun will bring the unity we have been praying for in Yoruba Land, even though there have been various antagonisms concerning it. Security does not discriminate in crimes and all interest of the South-West is protected with Amotekun.” He stressed.

Solicitor General, representing Attorney-General of Lagos State, Mrs. Titilayo Shitta-Bey said that the sections amended must be critically looked into and the Ministry of Justice has submitted a letter to the House notifying them of further amendments to the Bill.

Also contributing, Hon. Seye Oladejo drew the attention of the House to the Board Members on the Amotekun bill as it is a step ahead of present image regarding Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps.

He added that security checks must be done on the recruitment for the Amotekun outfit as they must have the local knowledge of the terrain, either land and water in order to combat Local, State and National threat.

Some of the Stakeholders’ Mr. Seriki Ibrahim, Mr. Gbenga Alowonle, Mr. Lekan Otukoya, Abdul-Ganiu Olatokunbo, Mr. Babatunde Odunlami, Com. Rasaq Olokooba amongst others who contributed their various opinions during the comments and response section noted that those who protect the communities and environs should be incorporated as recruits, including the Amotekun Court and Justice, as well as the recruiters be given adequate training to combat threats.

It was also observed by Stakeholders’ that nepotism and partisan must be shunned off as well as checks and balances to ensure that the Amotekun Board Members’ do not exercise veto powers and also enjoin that religious bodies representatives’ be included in the Board of Trustees.

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Mr. Sunday Olaifa affirmed that PDP is in full support of Amotekun as it depicts the Yoruba tradition; as well as the representative of Christian Association of Nigeria.

Representative Lagos Central Mosque, Noheem Olusola Saheed also opined that Amotekun is undisputedly laudable and it is a complimentary effort of the Lagos Assembly.

In response to their comments, contributions and observation, the Chairman House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security, Hon. Tunde Braimoh appreciated the Stakeholders for being virtual, vocal and brave with their contributions.

He thereafter implored Stakeholders to submit their memorandum to the Secretary of the Committee on or before 2nd of March, 2020.

The Clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni subsequently in his Votes of Thanks commended everyone for their contributions and assured them that their contributions would be considered and looked into by the House of Assembly.

The general public is hereby informed that the Lagos State House of Assembly shall hold a public hearing on the bill for a law to amend the Lagos Neighborhood Safety Corps Law 2019 to establish the Lagos Amotekun Corps.

This important Legislative procedure shall hold at the Assembly Pavilion on Monday 24th February2020 by 12 noon prompt.

The event is put together by the House of Asembly in furtherance of it’s extant and traditional practice of involving the citizen’s especially critical stakeholders in its legislative activities for robust results.

While personal invitations have been extended to some individuals and organizations considered directly relevant to the state security architecture, this notice also serves as invitation to any member of the public or organizations who might have any contributions to make or memoranda to submit.

Security is a common concern and it begins with each individual.
Together we shall attain a greater Lagos.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Thanks.

Hon Tunde Braimoh
Chairman, House Committee on Information, Security and Strategy.

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday accepted the bill in favour of the South West Security outfit, Amotekun, and has fixed a public hearing on the outfit for Monday 24th February, 2020.

Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, at a sitting of the House, subsequently committed the bill to the House Committee on Information, Publicity, Security and Strategy, headed by Hon. Tunde Braimoh, for public hearing.

The Clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni, had informed the lawmakers that he received a letter from the state’s Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, on Wednesday 19th February, 2020 on the amendment of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC).

Sanni was subsequently ordered to read the bill entitled House of Assembly Bill No. 5 Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC) Amendment Bill 2020 And for Connected Purposes for the first and second times.

The Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade (Ikorodu 1), said that the bill is an executive bill, but that it is predicated on the private member bill that established LNSC, which he said has been working well.

According to Agunbiade, the bill incorporates the concept of a more dynamic and more strengthened security platform than what they had in Lagos State.

“It is meant to energise and strengthen the security that we have in Lagos State based on the challenges in the state and in the South West.

“It tries to create a unit out of the LNSC to be referred to as Amotekun Corps to take charge of security in certain areas such as in the forest, highway and other places to protect us against hoodlums, cattle rustling and others.

“It will have a commander and Amotekun corps would bear harms with the permission of the police. They will cooperate with other security platforms in Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti and Osun states,” he said.

He stressed that LNSC has a clause that will provide for Amotekun.

In his contribution, Hon. Oluyinka Ogundimu, (Agege 2), supported the bill and commended the foresight of the Lagos State House of Assembly on the security of the state.

Ogundimu stated that the law covers wider areas and made internal security a priority.

The lawmaker called for local content in the bill, adding that they needed people with native intelligence, and that whoever would be appointed as the Head of the unit should be approved by the House.

On his part, Hon. Olumuyiwa Jimoh, (Apapa 2) said that there is a problem of nomenclature in the bill.

Jimoh stated that the Nigerian Police had been existing before independence and that the people had been talking about their reforms.

“The colonialists formed the Nigerian Police for us in 1930 and we have not made efforts to form our own security force.

“The population of men of the Nigerian Police is small. We should encourage men of Amotekun to be armed and to be able to arrest and prosecute.

“South Africans have their own native police that checkmate other security forces. We can have the military wing of Amotekun in Lagos,” he said.

Also speaking on the bill, Hon. Rotimi Olowo, (Shomolu 1) said that Amotekun started in Lagos with LNSC, and that the federal police lacked character as their structure has not helped to suppress crime.

“Security is local and it should be localized. The issue of kidnapping and others give credence to the need for community police.

“They should be allowed to use guns. They can reduce armed robbery attack, kidnapping and others. We should allow more money into the system.

“The recruitment of Amotekun should be localized. They should work in their neighbourhood so that they could apprehend criminals in their areas,” he said. Hon. Rasheed Makinde, Ifako/Ijaiye 2 stated that security is local and that the country was getting close to having state police.

“We are setting a pace for other political regions in Nigeria. They can assist when there is any accident on our highways. There would be a collaboration amongst the six western states and beyond,” he said.

Hon. Tunde Braimoh (Kosofe 2), who chairs the committee to look into the bill, said that governance is about giving meaning to the yearnings and aspirations of the people.

Braimoh stressed that what the people of the South West wanted now is security.

“People keep talking about Amotekun because that is what they want now. Amotekun emanated from the House with the LNSC, which has now transformed to Amotekun. Section 14 (2B) of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 emphasizes security. There are issues in the bill but they would be looked into later,” he said.

The matter was also supported by all the lawmakers, who spoke on the matter including Hon. Victor Akande (Ojo 1), Hon. Bisi Yusuff (Alimosho 1), Adedamola Richard Kasunmu (Ikeja 2) and Hon. David Setonji (Badagry 2).

Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, Speaker, Lagos House of Assembly and Chairman Conference of Speakers of State Legislature being congratulated by Gov. Gboyega Oyetola after his conferment as Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science( Honoris Causa) by the Vice Chancellor of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Professor Kola Sonaike on Friday January 17, 2020.

 

Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, Speaker, Lagos House of Assembly being congratulated by Pastor( Dr.) Ademola Odunaiya, Chancellor of Joseph Ayo Babalola University and Professor Kola Sonaike, the Vice – Chancellor after the government of Doctorate degree in Political Science( Honoris Causa) on the speaker during the convocation of the university today, Friday, January 17, 2020

 

 

Lagos State House of Assembly’s 8-Man Ad Hoc Committee on Friday, 13th December, 2019 concluded the screening exercise of 11 Nominees for Commissioners, Lagos State Executive Council; Civil Service Commission, and Lagos State House of Assembly Service Commission in Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s cabinet.

The Chief Whip of the House,Hon Rotimi Abiru who chaired the Committee explained that the objective of the exercise was to determine whether the nominees possessed the necessary pre-requisites.

“It is essential that they have the wherewithal to effectively discharge the duties of the offices for which they have been nominated and whether such qualities would support the vision and aspirations already established in Lagos State towards achieving its developmental goals.”
Hon. Abiru stated that at the proceedings of the Committee, Members asked various questions ranging from policy statement of the State to perennial traffic problems, environmental issues, how to make the State a tourist hub, how to improve the revenue drive of the State as well as other socio-economic matters.

“This is with the aim of determining the mental alertness of the nominees as well as ascertaining their readiness for the job.”

Nominees for Commissioners, Lagos State Executive Council are Engr. Bamgbose-Martins Paul Omotayo, Mr. Ganiyu Adele Ayuba, Mr. Oyerinde Olugbenga Olanrewaju; Civil Service Commission: Mrs. Fabamwo Olubunmi, Hon. Avoseh Hodewu Suru, Hon. Olorunoje Kamal, Mr. Seriki Babatunde Tiamiyu; Lagos State House of Assembly Service Commission: Hon. Lawal Kabir Olajide, Hon. Bello Akeem Abiodun, Mr. Oshungboye Richard Akinola.

The Chief Whip established that the questions raised by Members were not only relevant but were far reaching and thought-provoking with a view to establishing and determining the nominees’ competence, readiness and willingness to serve Lagos State in various capacities.”

Consequently, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, directed the Clerk, Mr. Azeez Sanni to invite the nominees to appear before the House on Thursday, 16th January, 2020.

In another development, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa would be awarded a Ph.d Political Science (honoris causa) and other distinguished politicians that include Governors of State of Osun, Oyo State and Speaker Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila on Friday, January 17th, 2020 at Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji Arakeji Osun State.