The Kano State House of Assembly has passed a bill establishing the Kano State Neighbourhood Security Corps.

This followed deliberations in the Committee of the Whole House during a plenary session presided over by the speaker, Jibrin Falgore (NNPP-Rogo).

Subsequent to the deliberations, the lawmakers approved the bill’s third reading, as presented by the clerk.

Shortly after the bill’s passage, the majority leader of the House, Lawan Husseini (NNPP-Dala), stated that the bill was passed after undergoing the necessary legislative processes.

The lawmaker explained that the corps would be a community policing body that would complement the work of other security agencies in the state.

Mr Husseini said creating the outfit would significantly enhance the internal security situation. He highlighted the necessity for the state to establish its own security outfit, drawing comparisons with southern states in Nigeria, such as those behind the Amotekun initiative, which have set up similar agencies to strengthen internal security.

According to him, the security corps will be authorised to carry firearms as stipulated by the law.

He added that they would also have the power to arrest offenders and hand them over to the police for prosecution. Mr Husseini further said that the personnel to be recruited will not be affiliated with any political party.

The majority leader added that the commander general of the corps is to be appointed and must be a person of proven integrity, while there would be a commander to lead the personnel of the corps in each of the 44 local government areas of the state.

He noted that the commander general must be a retired security personnel of the army or police with at least 25 years in service and not below the rank of a colonel or commissioner of police.

The lawmaker further said the security agency would have a board administered by a chairman who the governor would appoint. 

(NAN)