Lawmakers in Nigeria’s oil rich state, Rivers, have urged the Federal Government to redeploy the state Commander of the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) as part of efforts to stem insecurity.
The members of the Rivers House of Assembly made the call in their resolution after debating a motion on “Security Situation in Rivers State’’ during plenary on Wednesday in Port Harcourt.
The motion, raised by Mr Matin Amewule, Leader of the House and the member representing Port Harcourt Constituency 1, was exhaustively debated by the members.
In their resolution, the House condemned the increasing questionable activities of SARS in the state.
It also resolved to write to the Presidency to redeploy the SARS Commander Mr Akin Fakorode from the state.
The House further drew the attention of international community to the infraction on the state and its people by SARS officials.
Reacting, the Speaker, Mr Ikuinyi Ibani alleged that the state was under siege by an arm of the Nigeria Police, which according to him, is the Special Anti-rubbery Squad (SARS).
He expressed worry about why an arm of the police was gradually overriding the authority of the force by derailing from its constitutional responsibility.
“I think that the Federal Government should use its authority to free Rivers from siege by SARS.
“SARS has unleashed mayhem on the state, our communities have at different times suffered so much intimidation and even death by SARS officials who were supposed to protect them,’’ he said.
Ibani said that in as much as the House might not have the right to direct the redeployment of any Federal Government officers under its watch, it would plead with the government to look into the operational activities of SARS.
He called on Presidency to address the issue of redeployment of the SARS Commander, Mr Akin Fakorode, from the state in the interest of security.
In another development, the House Committee on Education have concluded a public hearing on the Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic Bill 2017.
The committee’s Chairman, Mr Farah Dagogo, promised on behalf of members to forward all the recommendations from stakeholders to the government for consideration and approval.
He assured the people of the committee’s readiness to make laws that would enhance the standard of all tertiary institutions in the state as well as boost quality of education in line with world’s best practices.