A Bill for a Law to make provision for AKWA IBOM STATE VIGILANTE GROUPS (REGISTRATION) BILL, 2020 as has scale through second reading in the floor of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.
The Bill when passed according to the lead sponsor and member representing Ibesikpo Asutan State Constituency, Rt. Hon Aniekan Uko, will provide a workable platform for the government and community-based Vigilante groups to form an ironclad partnership against crime through a process of formalisation of relationship.
Leading debate on the bill during Tuesday’s plenary, Uko said “the principal thrust of this bill is to bring every community- based Vigilante Group into a comprehensive mechanism of government supervision”.
While acknowledging the contributions of various Community Vigilante groups towards safeguarding the peace currently enjoyed in the State, Uko said Vigilante groups in the state should not be allowed to exist in their current state of nature where nasty and brutish things continue to happen
“The bill represents a bold attempt by the government to restore sanity to community-based policing, by enhancing a transparent security structure”.
He stressed further that the bill will help in strengthening security by establishing a central channel of government support to registered vigilante groups through training and funding while criminal elements masquerading as a vigilante group to unleash terror will be weed out.
Speaking on the aim of the bill, Uko said “the aim of this bill is not to undermine existing Vigilante groups in the State, rather it is aimed at effectively repositioning them through registration, supervision, funding and training”.
The Bill according to Elder Uko consist of 31 Sections and 2 schedules.
Speaking on Bill, the Leader of the House and member representing Oruk Anam State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Udo Kierian Akpan, said the Bill will assist in eliminating crimes in the communities.
“It is a very interesting bill, 3 weeks ago Mr. Speaker, we had a meeting with the Divisional Police in Abak and this issue was on the front burner.
We must assist in the elimination of crime in our communities and this bill by my brother from Ibesikpo Asutan has just done justice to that”.
The Bill was however committed to the House Committee on Security,Youth and Sport for further legislative actions.