Governors, traditional rulers to draft bill to include monarchs in security architecture

A newly established committee comprising state governors and traditional rulers has been tasked with formulating recommendations for a bill to enhance security at the grassroots. 

Dapo Abiodun, governor of Ogun, said the bill would create a national council of traditional rulers and involve the monarchs in governance, peace, and security.

Abiodun spoke to State House correspondents in Abuja on Wednesday after the maiden dialogue between the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the traditional rulers.

He said the 15-member committee, chaired by Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo, has four weeks to harmonise various recommendations that clarify the responsibilities of traditional rulers in community safety.

Abiodun noted that the meeting was at the instance of the NGF, which proved its acknowledgment of the role monarchs play in providing security agencies with intelligence.

“We agreed that a joint committee of governors and our traditional rulers should be set up, and that committee should seek to ensure that the various remarks and comments that were made from those that are here present reflect the desires of those that they represent and should be included to make for a robust document,” the governor said.

“All that should be synthesised, so that whatever document will be presented to the national assembly will be a very comprehensive, inclusive document that seeks to empower our royal majesties and highnesses more and to involve them in the governance, peace, and security of our various states across the country, including the FCT.”

Earlier this month, a bill to establish a national council of traditional rulers passed the first reading at the senate.

The proposed legislation seeks to empower the monarchs with constitutional responsibilities to tackle issues such as insecurity, peacebuilding, and inter-community disputes.

Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers, Yahaya Abubakar, the Etsu Nupe, thanked AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, governor of Kwara state and chairman of the NGF, for inviting them to the meeting.

“We are very glad and appreciate the effort of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum that actually extended an invitation to us members of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, under the chairmanship of his eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, and co-chaired by his imperial majesty, the Ooni of Ife, all the chairman of state councils of traditional rulers in the 36 states and Abuja,” he said.