The Director General National of the Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, NILDS, Professor Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman has stressed the need for the federal government to amend Act of 1986, the primary law regulating Private Security Companies in Nigeria.

Professor Sulaiman stressed the imperative for the amendment of the law on Tuesday while speaking at a 1- 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 held at NILDS permanent site Abuja.

He said the law was crafted without envisaging today’s evolving threats such as insurgency and banditry as well as the exponential growth of the registered private security companies put at over 1,500 as well as the dynamics in the security landscape.

The Director General pointed out that the workshop was a platform to examine international experiences, best practices and key legislative interventions to enhance effectiveness and professionalism in the sector.

While reaffirming NILDS commitment to supporting the National Assembly in its mandate of strengthening security governance in the country, professor Sulaiman thanked the partners for the workshop including Africa Law Foundation (AFRILAW) and the team from DCAF- Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance, Switzerland .

The workshop featured paper presentations and goodwill messages by the representatives of the Chairmen of Senate and House of Reps Committees on Army, Police and the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, as well as the representatives of the NILDS partners.

NILDS DG, Prof Sulaiman seeks amendment of Private Guard Companies Act 1986