By Funmi Olasupo

 Abuja – Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara has called for the review of the legal framework on security in parliaments across Africa.

 He also warned that the present situation where security has been left  in the hands of sergeants- at-arms  and other security agencies  cannot  guarantee security in the parliaments.

 Hon. Dogara who launched the advocacy at a pan-African  conference on parliamentary security in Abuja, lamented that though the sergeants- at- arms  were the recognised security in parliaments across the world, the system has not created enough legal powers that would enhance the performance of their duties.

 The conference which brought together  Clerks  and Sergeants at Arms from the National and State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria , also had in attendance their counterparts  from 17 African countries, including  Liberia, Uganda and Kenya.

 The Speaker also said  that given the wave of  terrorism and frequent attacks on parliaments across the world, there was an urgent need to strengthen the laws to give the traditional police of the parliament enough powers to take care of security within the precincts of the parliament.

File: Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Suliemon Yusuf Lasun and the Chief whip, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, during Principal Officer’s procession to the Chamber recently, Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

  “The Boko Haram insurgency in Northeast Nigeria and attacks carried out by the group on the United Nations compound, Police Headquarters and other targets in Abuja have fuelled fears of attacks on soft targets like parliament,”.

 “Section 89 (1) and (2) of the Constitution empowers the National Assembly for the purposes of any investigation under Section 88 of the Constitution to among other powers, summon any person in Nigeria to give evidence at any place or produce any document; and to also issue a warrant to compel the attendance of any person who, after having be summoned to attend, fails, refuses or neglects to do so

 It further provides that “a summons or warrant issued under this section may be served or executed by any member of the Nigeria Police Force or by any person authorised in that behalf by the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as the case may require”.

 This implies that both Presiding Officers can authorize the Sergeant at Arms to execute Warrants or Summons issued by the National Assembly.

 In the botched Constitution Review exercise, the 7th National Assembly, together with over 2/3 of the State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria amended Section 89 (2) of the Constitution to empower the Sergeant-at-Arms in addition to the Nigeria Police, to execute orders of the National Assembly.‎