FIVE Southwest states – Oyo, Lagos, Osun, Ondo and Ogun House of Assembly on Tuesday passed the bill for the establishment and operation of Security Network Agency and Amotekun Corps into law.
Ogun State House of Assembly passed the bill barely 19 days after receiving it from the executive.
The bill entitled: “HB No 35/OG/2020 – “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.
The motion for the third reading of the bill was later moved by the majority leader, seconded by Olusola Adams, while the acting Clerk, Deji Adeyemo, did the third reading of the bill.
Speaker Oluomo, thereafter directed that the clean copy of the bill be forwarded to Governor Dapo Abiodun for assent.
In the same vein, Oyo State House of Assembly, yesterday passed the bill into law, and it is now awaiting Governor Seyi Makinde assent.
The bill was passed after it scaled through the third reading at a plenary presided over by the Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin.
Ogundoyin, in his remarks, said: “By passing this bill, we have made history and we will be creating big strides towards providing and ensuring all persons travelling on the highways, major roads, remote areas, hinterland and forest are free to participate in their normal social and economic life without fear or hindrance.”
House Committee on Security and Strategy Chairman, Akeem Obadara, had presented the committee’s report to the plenary, describing the bill as a product of extensive deliberation by critical stakeholders.
He said the provisions of the bill was painstakingly subjected to clause-by-clause and point-by-point scrutiny at the public hearing.
Ondo State House of Assembly, which also passed the bill, yesterday had, on February 18, deliberated on it and sent the bill 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 committee Chairman, Ololade Begudu and it was seconded by Favour Tomowemo representing Ilaje 11 state constituency.
Speaker Bamidele Oleyelogun described the passage of the bill as remarkable.
Oleyelogun, who wore Amotekun traditional attire, said the bill if assented to by the governor would reduce crime in the state.
He explained that the corps would be a community policing body that would complement the work of other security agencies.
Also, Osun State House of Assembly at a plenary passed the bill, having gone through the necessary legislative procedures with some amendments and corrections.
Speaker Timothy Owoeye said the House had considered the grey areas during the last week public hearing before the bill scaled through the second reading and passed it into law for the governor’s assent.
The Amotekun Corps law now ensures offenders should be identified by corps and duly registered by the police and other relevant security agencies and that the office of the attorney general of the state must be notified about such identification and arrest.
The amendments also specified that a corps commander is to be appointed by the governor with the confirmation of the Assembly and must be assisted in the discharge of his duties by a deputy, field commander.
Few days after a public hearing, Lagos State House of Assembly, yesterday, unanimously passed the bill into law.
The bill was passed into law by the Assembly after it scaled the third reading on the floor of the Assembly.
The Assembly, a few days ago, organised a public hearing where Speaker Mudasiru Obasa had declared Amotekun as a security outfit that has come to stay.
“I am sure we all recall the incidents before the establishment of Amotekun – the killings, maiming and kidnapping. 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 said.
It passed the bill after taking the third reading of the amendment to the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps Agency Law 2019.
The amendment bill in Lagos State had successfully gone through all the different stages of lawmaking, which includes first and second reading, holding a public hearing, laying and presentation of committees report, adoption of a report by House, third reading and final passage.
Oyo State lawmakers dressed in Amotekun regalia as they passed the Amotekun Bill into law today.
Osun State House of Assembly at a plenary, on Tuesday, passed the state of Osun Security Agency and Amotekun Corps Establishment Bill 2020 into law.
The Osun State speaker, Timothy Owoeye at the plenary said that the House had considered the grey areas during the last week public hearing before the bill scaled through the second reading and passed it into law for the assent of the state governor.
The Amotekun Corps law now ensures that offenders should be identified by corps and duly registered by the police and other relevant security agencies and that the office of the Attorney General of the state must be notified about such identification and arrest.
The amendments also specified that a corps commander is to be appointed by the governor with the confirmation of the Assembly and must be assisted in the discharge of his duties by a deputy, field commander among others
The law had it that there shall be an area command of the Amotekun Corps in each of the federal constituencies of the state.
The Amotekun Corps law also stipulated that a registered resident of the state upon the presentation of national identity card, voters card or the Omoluabi card may be eligible for enlistment as a member of the corps.
Owoeye commended the governors of the South West and the conference of speakers for their steadfastness in bringing the Amotekun Corps into fruition.
He also lauded members of the 7th Osun Assembly for their support in giving the bill a speedy passage.
