Insecurity: Lawan Wants Constitutional Role For Traditional Rulers

BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan on Monday advocated for a constitutional role for traditional rulers in the fight against insurgency and other security challenges.
Lawan, who made the call when he received in audience a delegation of traditional and political leaders from Taraba state that were at the National Assembly to participate in a public hearing on a bill for the establishment of a Federal College of Education, Mutum Biyu Taraba state, said there is no way we can succeed in the fight against insurgency or any insecurity without the support and cooperation of traditional rulers.
The Senate President noted that when traditional rulers have the mandate and official responsibility to administer their places before the local government reforms of 1976, the nation’s security situation was better as the security architecture included them.
Lawan further said; “That is not the situation today, and when we face such very profound security situation that we have today, it is time to look at giving traditional rulers more formal responsibilities in the administration of our country.”
He said the present security challenges made it more auspicious for the Senate to look at the possibility of giving constitutional responsibilities to traditional rulers during the forthcoming constitution review exercise.
According to him; “We need to do that so that we do not need to run to them only when we have issues. They should always be there to support any administration that is in power to administer the country.”
Lawan said the Senate is working hard to come up with far reaching resolutions on how to address the security challenges facing the country, adding that it has set up an adhoc committee under the chairmanship of the Senate Leader, adding that hopefully, this week, the committee would come up with solutions and views on how to end the insecurity situation in the country.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Taraba state commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mr. Edward Baraya, thanked the Senate President for his support for the bill.
Baraya said Taraba state lacks higher institutions particularly those for training teachers, saying that the College of Education if established would improve access to education for the people of the state.