Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo and Osun States are now awaiting the governors’ assents to the Amotekun bill variously passed by the states’ Houses of Assembly Tuesday.
In Lagos, the lawmakers passed the states’ Security Network Agency Bill 2020 codenamed ‘Operation Amotekun’ into law.
The bill was passed after the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa and his colleagues read it for the third time.
The bill seeks to unify the proposed law that would guide the security outfit jointly established by the Southwest governors.
Prior to the passing of the bill, the House of Assembly had organised a public hearing which was attended by top residents and other stakeholders in the state.
Recall that at the hearing, Speaker Obasa had declared that Amotekun was a security outfit that had come to stay.
“I’m sure we all recall the incidents before the establishment of Amotekun, the killings, maiming, kidnapping and their likes. In the wisdom of our governors, they decided on Amotekun. Our race has spoken and we must stand by it but in line with the constitution,” he had said.
Some of the recommendations in the bill were that only indigenes, or residents that have spent 20 years in the area and can speak the native language, will be members of the Amotekun corps.
“That the recruitment into the Amotekun of the agency shall be open to indigenes of the communities, where they seek to serve or to residents who have spent not less than 20 years in the community and understand the native language, among others,” the law says.
The Ogun State House of Assembly has also passed bill and it is ready to be forwarded to Governor Dapo Abiodun for his assent.
The bill was passed barely 19 days after it was received from the Executive Arm, as part of its determination to stem the tide of crimes and criminalities in the state.
The bill marked ‘HB No 35/OG/2020; and titled: ‘A Bill for a law to establish the Ogun State Security Network Agency and Amotekun Corps to Assist in Maintaining Law and Order in the State and Connected Purposes’ was passed during a plenary presided over by the Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, following the presentation of report of the Special Ad-hoc Committee on Security and Strategy by the Majority Leader, Yusuf Sherif.
Sherif thereafter moved the motion for the adoption of the report which was seconded by Musefiu Lamidi and supported by the Whole (House) through a voice vote after which the bill was later read and adopted Clause-by–Clause by the Committee of the Whole (House).
The motion for the third reading of the bill was later moved by the Majority Leader, seconded by Olusola Adams, while the Acting Clerk of the Assembly, Deji Adeyemo, did the third reading of the bill.
Oluomo, thereafter directed that the clean copy of the bill be forwarded to the Governor Abiodun for his assent.
The passage of the bill in Oyo State was rather dramatic as lawmakers converged on the chamber waering local armlets, armbands and charms in addition to leopard camouflage, all of which signify battle-readiness, and combative mood.
In the state, the Amotekun corps bill proposed by Governor Seyi Makinde was passed following a clause by clause consideration before third reading and final adoption on the floor of the house yesterday.
The House Committee on Security and Special Duties had earlier presented its report at the plenary.
The bill had earlier scaled through the first and second readings during an extensive debate on the floor of the House, after the draft bill was transmitted to the House.
More so, it was transferred to the Committee on Security and Strategy, headed by lawmaker representing Ibadan North West II, Akeem Obadara after which the House conducted a public hearing attended by traditional rulers, farmers, transport unions, and other stakeholders, on Monday 24th of last month.
Speaking on the floor on Tuesday, Obadara noted that the bill proposal was a product of extensive deliberation by critical stakeholders.
The lawmaker pointed out that its provisions were painstakingly subjected to clause-by-clause and point-by-point scrutinisation at the public hearing.
The Speaker at the plenary on Tuesday, Debo Ogundoyin expressed optimism that the bill when signed into law would stem the tide of kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery and other manifestation of criminalities that have continued to constitute hindrances to people’s normal social and economic life.
According to him, “By passing this bill, we have made history and we will be creating big strides towards providing and ensuring that all persons travelling along the highways, major roads, remote areas, hinterland and forest are free to participate in their normal social and economic life without fear or hindrance.”
While saying the House has fulfilled its fundamental responsibility of making people-oriented laws that would guarantee adequate protection of lives and property of the people of Oyo State, the Speaker said: “One of the major concerns has always been the issue of kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery and all other forms of criminalities. We believe that this bill will provide the needed security for our people.”
Ogundoyin, who expressed confidence that Governor Makinde would be thorough with the implementation after assent, stated that “we can rest assure that the implementation will be thorough, because we have not passed this bill in vain.
“You don’t need to preach to the converts. We have a governor who is an Amotekun himself and we have not passed the bill in vain, so you can assure that the law will be accorded speedy assent by the governor”.
The speaker, who further spoke on some amendments being sought to the final copy by members, said: “You can’t get a perfect law anywhere and if you pass a law and if it becomes problematic tomorrow, then the mechanism of amendment will set in.”
While commending the members of the security committee for the public hearing conducted, he stressed that they didn’t shortcut any of the stipulated rules of the House to arrive at the conclusion.
INIOBONG IWOK (Lagos), RAZAQ AYINLA (Abeokuta), AKINREMI FEYISIPO (Ibadan),KORETIMI AKINTUNDE (Akure) and JOHN OLANIYI (Osogbo)
