Admin I November 23, 2016
Abuja – Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara has condemned invasion of the homes of senior judicial officers by the Department of Security Service, vowing to amend the Act, set them up.
The Speaker who was inaugurating a committee to investigate the incident described the development as worrisome said the clampdown was a duplication of the function of other anti-corruption agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and promised sweeping reforms to prevent its recurrence.
“It is untidy, it seems, to have multiple agencies exercising similar functions. The EFCC already handles issues of corruption and economic crimes in Nigeria,” Mr. Dogara said. “Should the State Security Service also be charged with the same functions?” Dogara said.
Dogara said executive might have usurped the powers of the legislature.
“The activities of the State Security Service of late have raised concerns in the Nigerian polity as to the propriety of the conduct of officials of the service and whether their actions are consistent with the law setting it up,” Mr. Dogara read from a prepared speech.
“It is in this regard that I enjoin this Committee to make relevant findings of fact that will enable the National Assembly initiate the necessary amendments to the National Security Agencies Act —and even the Constitution where necessary— to ensure conformity with the constitutional design and framework that envisage that federal legislative power should be domiciled in the National Assembly and not shared with the executive in the manner provided under the Act.”
