Lagos, Oyo, Ondo assemblies pass Amotekun bill

Operation Amotekun

Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday passed the bill to create Amotekun Corps as a special unit of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps.

The assembly passed the bill after taking the third reading of the amendment to the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps Agency Law 2019.

Similarly, the Oyo State House of Assembly also passed the Oyo State Security Network Agency Bill 2020 into law.

The passage of the bill followed the presentation of the report of the House Committee on Security and Special Duties by the committee’s chairman, Akeem Obadara, who represents Ibadan North-West constituency.

In his presentation during plenary on Tuesday, Mr Obadara said the bill is a product of extensive deliberation by critical stakeholders.

“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,” he said.

“One of the major concerns has always been the issue kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery and all other forms of criminalities. We believe that this bill will provide the needed security for our people.”

Ondo State House of Assembly also joined in passing the bill on Tuesday.

The assembly on February 18 deliberated on the bill and committed it to the House Committee on Security Matters after scaling through first and second reading and had its public hearing on February 24.

Majority Leader, Jamiu Maito, had moved a motion for the bill to be submitted by the chairman of the House Committee on Security Matters, Ololade Begudu. It was seconded by Favour Tomowemo representing Ilaje 2.

Bode Adeyelu read the bill the third time, with Maito moving the motion for its passage while it was seconded by Deputy Minority Leader, Leonard Akinribido.

Speaker Bamidele Oleyelogun described the passage of the bill as remarkable.

Mr Oleyelogun, dressed in the Amotekun attire, said the bill if assented to by the governor would reduce crime in the state.