The boss of NALTF, Henry Nwawuba, has charged lawmakers that they can’t keep saying that their thoughts and prayers are with the victims of insecurity and still call themselves legislators
The Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund(NALTF), Hon. Henry Nwawuba, has urged Parliament to deploy policy and legislative innovation to address Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.
Nwawuba spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at the 2nd Annual Distinguished Parliamentarian Lecture organised by the House of Representatives Press Corps, where he was honoured with the Icon of Legislative Research award.
Speaking on the theme, “Imperative of State Police: Securing Communities, Strengthening Federalism,” the former member of the House of Representatives said the proposed establishment of state police offered Parliament an opportunity to explore new approaches to tackling insecurity.
Nwawuba, who previously chaired the House Committee on Monitoring of the Legislative Agenda, said the committee had examined security-related issues, including overlapping mandates within Nigeria’s security architecture and measures to improve the effectiveness of policing.
He said the issues were considered within the context of constitutional amendment and emerging legislation seeking to establish state police.
According to him, Parliament must function as an engine room for policy innovation, particularly in responding to the country’s evolving security challenges.
Nwawuba said lawmakers could not continue to express sympathy for victims of insecurity without taking concrete legislative measures to address the problem.
“We can’t keep saying our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of insecurity and we call ourselves legislators. We will get tired. After a while it becomes shameful. Is it that there is nothing we can do?” he asked.
He said the proposed state police system was intended to provide policing that could respond more effectively to the peculiar security needs of different regions, noting that similar approaches had been adopted in other countries.
Nwawuba acknowledged concerns about the possible abuse and sustainability of state police but stressed the need to address funding and establish adequate safeguards.
“I do appreciate the concerns that some people have raised but for me as long as we can take care of the issue of funding, I think we should give it a try because insanity is when you keep doing the same thing and think the situation will change,” he said.
The former lawmaker said the changing nature of insecurity required a corresponding legislative response, stressing that laws must ultimately be designed to serve the interests of citizens.
“We have an emerging situation on our hands when it comes to insecurity so the parliament must respond and that is what the parliament is for. Any law that does not serve the people is a bad law,” he said.
