BEVERLY HILLS, July 03, (THEWILL) – The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has raised the alarm over the deployment of military personnel in over 28 states, saying it has literally placed Nigeria in a state of emergency over the prolonged deployment of military personnel to quell crisis across the country.
He stated this at the one-day capacity-building/interactive needs assessment workshop of the security sector related committees of the House of Representatives organised in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, PLAC, held at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja on Monday.
Dogara who was represented at the event by the Chief Whip of the House, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, noted that soldiers were visible in almost all parts of the country doing the work of the Nigeria Police, stressing that in peacetime soldiers are merely to complement the police and other civil authorities.
He stated that Section 217 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) defined the duties of the nation’s Armed Forces, contrary to what they were seen doing these days in many states of the federation.
The Speaker said, “It is worrisome that Nigeria is effectively permanently in a state of emergency as the Armed Forces are deployed in more than 28 states of the federation in peacetime.
“The Armed Forces have virtually taken over routine police work in Nigeria. They are no longer acting in aid of civil authorities but have become the civil authorities.
“Section 217 of the constitution spells out the duties and responsibilities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria , which include defending Nigeria from external aggression; maintaining Nigeria’s territorial integrity; and securing our borders from violation from land, sea or air; suppressing insurrection and acting in aid of civil authorities to restore order when called upon to do so by the President.”
Dogara also lamented the over-bearing influence of the Executive arm of government on the security agencies which, he said, has not allowed them to be more transparent and accountable to Nigerians.
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