Sunday Aborisade in Abuja 

The Director General, National Institute For Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS),  Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, has stressed the need to strengthen legislative oversight on the operations of private security firms in view of the growing insecurity concerns in the country.

Sulaiman made the observation Wednesday at a one-day capacity building workshop for chairmen and clerks of security-related committees of the National Assembly on private security governance and legislative oversight in Nigeria.

The workshop was organised by NILDS in collaboration with the African Law Foundation; DCAF-Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance; the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NCDC). 

The former Minister of National Planning, said the role of the private security sector in Nigeria has become increasingly crucial in augmenting public security and ensuring the safety of lives and property. 

He said: “With the evolving security landscape, driven by complex and emerging threats such as insurgency, banditry, cyber threats, and transnational crimes, it has become imperative to strengthen the governance and oversight of private security operations in the country.

“It is worthy of note that the private security industry in Nigeria has witnessed exponential growth in recent years, with well over 1,500 registered companies providing security services. 

“Many of these services now go beyond the traditional guarding, to include more technical services like private surveillance and investigative services. 

“While this growth presents opportunities to improve national security and job creation, it also gives rise to a new set of governance challenges which require effective oversight by the legislature.”

He said as chairmen and clerks of security-related committees, their roles in enacting effective legislation and ensuring diligent oversight cannot be overstated. 

He noted that robust legislative oversight was fundamental to ensuring that the private security sector operates within the framework of national laws.

Sulaiman said private security firms should adhere to international best practices, and complement the efforts of state security agencies in maintaining peace and order.

He said the workshop aims to provide a platform for critical discourse on the legal and institutional framework governing private security providers in Nigeria, and the need to ensure that the framework addresses the current trends within the private security space.

He therefore stressed the need to urgently amend the Private Guard Companies Act of 1986, which is the primary law regulating private security companies in Nigeria.

The law, he said, was crafted without consideration for today’s private security landscape or evolving threats. 

Sulaiman therefore said the workshop would provide an opportunity to examine international experiences, best practices and key legislative interventions that can be applied to enhance the effectiveness, accountability, and professionalism of the sector.

“The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies remains committed to supporting the National Assembly in its mandate of strengthening security governance and ensuring that policies and regulations align with the country’s security objectives,” he added.

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