Vera Wisdom-Bassey

Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana, has restated the need to restructure the country even as he maintained that governors as chief security officers had the right to form security outfits to protect citizens.

Falana stated this through his representative, Mr. Taiwo Olawanle, during the  law week organised by the Nigerian Bar Association, Badagry Branch held in  Okokomaiko, Lagos.

Falana who was guest speaker at the event spoke on  “The State of the Nation  and the Nigerian Lawyer” lamented the level of insecurity in the nation saying the law that empowers a governor to issue directives to the Commissioner of Police in his state also empowered him to form a security outfit for his people in as much as it was not formed to undermine or work against the Nigerian police.

He also  premised the importance of creating state security outfits, like Amotekun, on the spate of crimes,extra judicial killings, kidnappings, Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram and armed robbery in some parts of the country.

Related News

He said it would amount to state governors putting the lives of their people in jeopardy, if in the face of violent crimes and deaths, they were to fold their arms and watch without doing anything.

Dr. Babatunde Ajibade (SAN) blamed the woes in the nation on those that brought people with different languages, cultures and background together without allowing for discussions on how to enmesh the differences and form a common goal.

Babatunde who said the population and size of Nigeria was a huge advantage, however,  said the only way forward was to heed to call for restructuring.

Mr. Chigbo Okafor Chairman, NBA, Badagry Branch said one of the reasons for the choice of the theme of the conference was to ensure that lawyers think of standing for the right of the common man and uphold the integrity synonymous with the profession.