Reps Urge Deployment of Security Forces to Edo Communities to Protect Lives and Property
On Thursday, the House of Representatives called on the Inspector General of Police, the Chief of Defence Staff, and the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately deploy security personnel to various communities in Edo State to protect residents and their properties.
The lawmakers also directed the security agencies to investigate the recent killings of innocent civilians in the Itsukwi, Imegba, Okpekpe, and Imiakebu communities in the Etsako East Local Government Area, and to identify those responsible for these tragic events.
The call followed a motion of urgent public importance, presented by Billy Osawaru (APC, Edo), which was unanimously adopted by the House. The motion further urged the government to provide financial support to farmers whose lands were destroyed by the assailants, helping them to recover and prepare for the upcoming planting season.
In leading the debate on the motion, Osawaru reminded the House of the constitutional responsibility of the government to protect the security and welfare of the people, as outlined in Section 14(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). He also referenced Section 17(b), which emphasizes the need for governmental actions to uphold human dignity, and Section 33(1), which guarantees the right to life, prohibiting the intentional deprivation of life except as a result of a court sentence for a criminal conviction.
Osawaru stressed the importance of immediate action to address the security challenges in Edo State, ensuring the safety of its citizens and the protection of their livelihoods.
