Mr. Speaker, this bill is indeed a critical one. It is apt and timely as it is coming at a time like this.
“I have the mandate of my constituents to support the passage of this bill. This is so because, with the passage of this all important bill, our people can now sleep with their eyes closed.
“Mr. Speaker, do you know that some of our constituents, particularly those of them who have been victims of kidnapping, in their private prayers wish that some of us-lawmakers are kidnapped so that we have a taste of what they go through in the hands of kidnappers?
“Of course, you won’t blame them because, to them, we bother less about their plights in the hands of kidnappers.
“More worrisome is the fact that our people can no longer access their farms as a result of the increasing rates of kidnapping, rapes and killings of our people in their farms.
“The resultant effects of this is the growing shortage of foods in our various communities and markets. “The regular security personnel are trying but there is certainly a limit that they can operate. Come to think of it, in some of our communities, there is certainly zero presence of those regular security personnel. Therefore, there is a need, an urgent need for us to give legal backing to Community Policing in our dear state.
“Therefore, I enjoin you, my dear colleagues to give adequate support to this bill-The Delta State Community Security Corps Agency (Amendment) bill and ensure its speedy passage”
Above quotes as captured inter alia, was the submission of Hon. Marilyn Okowa-Daramola, member representing Ika North-East State Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly during a recent debate on a bill for a law to amend the Delta State Community Security Corps Agency Law 2020.
Hon. Okowa-Daramola was certainly not alone in this. At Tuesday, April 8, 2025 plenary presided over by the Speaker of the State Assembly, Rt Hon Emomotimi Guwor, the State lawmakers during the second reading of the bill, expressed their worries on the rising spate of insecurity in the State and the need for the amendment of the State’s Community Security Corps Agency law.
The Member Representing Aniocha South state Constituency in the House, Hon. Isaac Anwuzia, who is the Chairman, Assembly Committee on Peace and Security, is the lead sponsor of the bill, which seeks to give required legal backing to the activities and operations of local vigilantes in the State and thus; improve on their efficiency.
Leading debates on the merits of the bill, Hon Anwuzia, said the Bill which has 27 other lawmakers as co-sponsors, is aimed at strengthening and enhancing the Agency’s effectiveness in combating the worrisome and challenging insecurity in the state.
Anwuzia explained that the amendment bill also seeks to promote accountability in community policing in the State, stressing that the proposed law would help expand the functions of the security outfit, and enhance efficiency and effective collaborations with relevant stakeholders, including the various communities.
The Lawmaker maintained that security was fundamental requirement in any society aspiring to give the best to its citizens as well as promote investment and development, emphasizing that security should be everybody’s business as the absence of it would not only create chaos in any society but retard economic and societal growth.
He said judging by the high rate of insecurity reported across the country, there was an urgent need for all hands to be on deck to stem the trend in Delta State.
Hon Anwuzia noted that the bill, when passed and signed into law, would ensure adequate remuneration for all duly recruited Corp members with the least Corps member’s salary commensurate to the remuneration of Salary Grade level 5 in the State Civil Service.
Hon Anwuzia stated that the proposed law will include chairmen of all the 25 local government areas of the State as members of the Corps.
“This proposed law would go a long way in curbing the rising profile of criminal activities in the State, particularly kidnapping, herders menace, armed robbery among other heinous crimes.
“I therefore urge all my colleagues for the speedy passage of the bill as security is everybody’s responsibility and a priority for development”, Anwuzia added.
Speaking in favour of the bill, some of the lawmakers who included the Majority Leader, Emeka Nwaobi, Deputy Speaker, Arthur Akpowowo, Deputy Majority Leader, Festus Okoh, Hon. Marilyn Okowa-Daramola (Ika North-East), Oboro Preyor (Bomadi) Charles Emetulu (Ndokwa West), Pereotu Oloye (Burutu 2), Bridget Anyafulu,(Oshimili South), Spencer Ohwofa (Ughelli North 2), Perkins Umukoro (Sapele) and Mathew Omonade (Ughelli North 1), among others, described the proposed law as apt, saying that when passed and signed into law would help to strengthen security architecture in Delta State.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon Emomotimi Guwor then referred the Bill to the joint House Committee on Special Bills and Committee on Peace and Security to report back on 20th May 2025.
Meanwhile, as part of the bill, it is proposed that recruitment of Community Security Corps would be by nominations from reputable stakeholders who include; Honourable Members of the State House of Assembly for their respective constituencies, traditional rulers, local government council chairmen, religious leaders and, community leaders.
Such recruitment according to the proposed law would be no fewer than 30 personnel in each of the Federal Wards in the State just as screening of nominated persons shall be carried out by the Department of State Service (DSS), Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of each Division and, in collaboration with the office of the Director-general, Security matters.
