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By Tony Akowe, Abuja

House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila has said Nigerians, especially those in leadership positions, must collaborate to protect the nation against insecurity in the country.

The Speaker noted that if the nation fails to get its security architecture right, nothing meaningful would work, no matter what efforts might be expended.

Gbajabiamila spoke yesterday in Abuja at the opening of a public hearing and interactive session organised by the House Committee on National Security and Intelligence on four security-related bills under consideration in the House.

He said the government owes Nigerians the obligation of protecting them against all forms of insecurity.

He said the House regards its Committee on National Security as its most important committee, adding: “This is because if we do not get our security right, then, no matter what we do in other sectors, nothing is going to be right. This is why I said this committee is absolutely strategic and absolutely important for the well-being of our country.

“Ensuring the welfare and wellbeing of the Nigerian people is the primary responsibility of the government. It is an obligation that we are determined to fulfil by whatever means is necessary.

“Fulfilling our obligations in this regard requires, above all else, that we protect our people from the dangers of insecurity. In service of this tremendous responsibility, we have gathered here this morning to review four crucial Bills referred to the committee for legislative action.”

The proposed laws under consideration are: a Bill for an Act to Establish the National Commission Against the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons; a Bill for an Act to make Provision for the Integration of Private close Circuit Television (CCTV) and for Related Matters, 2019; a Bill for an Act to Repeal the Explosives Act, And for Related Matters; and a Bill for an Act to designate the month of November as the National Appreciation for Security Agencies Month and for Related Matters.

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The Speaker said two of the bills were referred to the House by the Executive, adding: “However, in separate ways, all of them seek the same goal of making our country a safer place and ensuring that our people live without fear of molestation and victimisation.

“Therefore, these bills are a priority for the House of Representatives. We will consider them thoroughly and with due haste. And we will engage with stakeholders and citizens alike to make sure that these bills in their final form serve their purpose.

“Shortly before the House recessed for our annual vacation, a Bill to give full effect to the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Their Ammunition and Other Related Materials, passed second reading in the House of Representatives.

“That bill, among other things, seeks to establish a National Commission Against the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons. With this new Bill from the Executive, we now have two Bills in the House seeking to achieve similar objectives.

“These bills should not be considered independently of each other. To the extent that their goals are the same, the two responsible committees on National Security and Intelligence and Treaties, Protocols, and Agreements will work together to achieve the objectives of these Bills.”

While tasking stakeholders in the security sector to bring “their perspectives to improve the bills and protect our country in the best way we can,” the Speaker reminded them that nation-building is a joint task.

His words: “We serve the best interests of our country when we work together in a collaborative effort to build a society that allows all our people to live their best lives.

“It is important to emphasise that this is a public hearing and everyone is a stakeholder.

“Beyond that, the security agencies are welcome to make submissions but everyone is welcome to make a submission as well. I say so because I want to underscore the fact that security is about everyone and we are all stakeholders.

“Even the man on the street that is selling groundnut is a stakeholder when it comes to security matters.”