Senior Advocate asks NASS  to enact National Internal Security Operations Act

From Bashir Rabe Mani, Sokoto

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Barrister Hassan Liman, on Tuesday urged the National Assembly to urgently enact a National Internal Security Operations Act.

According to him, “It will require that any deployment of the Armed Forces for internal security be accompanied by punished rules of engagement and periodic reporting to the National Assembly.

“This will be a complaints mechanism for for civilian harm, and mandatory prosecution of security personnel who killed unarmed civilians,” Hassan, who is also holds the traditional title of Wakilin Lafia added.

legal pundit was the Guest Speaker at at a Session on National Security and Human Rights in Nigeria as part of the week-long activities lined up for the 2026 Caliphate Bar Law Week, organized by the Sokoto State chapter of the Nigeriam Bar Association (NBA).

The Week has as theme, “Secured National, Secured’, as part of NBA’s invaluable contribution to improving national security, rule of law and the respect of the fundamental human rights of Nigerians.

Liman further advocated that no group should be proscribed, and no individual designated as a terrorism financier, without a full “inter partes”hearing.

According to the holder of the prestigious national honour of MON, this is where the accused has the right to legal representation, to see the evidence against them, and to cross-examine witnesses.

He added, “Ex-parte applications should be limited to genuine emergencies and should lapse after fourteen days unless confirmed at an inter-partes hearing.”

Liman also.recommended a proportionality mandate for all security measures affecting fundamental rights.”

He further called for a mandatory review within seven days for any administrative detention beyond 48 hours as well as security sector training on constitutional law, with sanctions for non-compliance.

Liman submitted, “a nation is truly secured when the citizens can sleep without fear or favour of bandits by night and without fear of security agents kicking the door without a warrant by morning.

“A future is truly secured when the constitution is not a decorative document but a living constraint on power.

End