Members of the House of Representatives have expressed support for a bill which seeks to give legal backing to the establishment of security outfits at the sub-national level across the country.
The lawmakers expressed the support during the debate on the bill which seeks to amend the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) with a view to giving legal backing to State security outfit to complement the Nigeria Police Force; and for related matters.
The private member bill, which scaled through second reading, was sponsored by Honourable Oberuakpefe Anthony Afe.
Afe explained that the bill seeks to provide community security outfits to assist the Nigerian Police in different communities of Nigeria as the pockets of violence seem to have overwhelmed and overstretched the police personnel.
He stated that the security needs of Nigeria cannot be left to measures that have proven to have less effect and many challenges.
As a progressive parliament, he stated, the House needs to rise to the challenge using the legal and legislative backing of the constitution review for the benefit of Nigerians.
The bill was voted, passed for the second reading and referred to Special Ad-hoc Committee on the Constitution Review.