PHOTOS: Protesters storm Senate – demand stop to another controversial bill

Over 5,000 protesters representing the Concerned Citizens of Nigeria stormed the National Assembly in Abuja on Thursday, December 5, demanding the rejection of the Coastal Guards Establishment Bill. The crowd, consisting of youth and women from across the country, carried banners denouncing the bill as wasteful and unnecessary. Kabir Adamu Matazu, the group’s spokesperson, criticised the bill for duplicating the roles of existing agencies like the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Marine Police, and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA). “This bill will create confusion and provoke jurisdictional conflicts among our security agencies,” Matazu declared. Highlighting the efficiency of current security operations, Matazu stressed that Nigeria’s maritime sector doesn’t require another agency. “The Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Office has already been converted into the National Hydrographic Agency. Introducing Coastal Guards will undermine these structures and invite chaos,” he warned. The activists urged lawmakers to invest in strengthening existing agencies instead of creating redundant institutions. “This bill, if passed, will undermine cohesion in the maritime sector and enable criminal exploitation,” Matazu cautioned. Protesters also pointed out the risk of Nigeria being re-listed on the Maritime Piracy Index, which it exited in 2022. “This bill represents adventurism rather than addressing Nigeria’s core challenges,” Matazu concluded, calling for its immediate rejection in the interest of democracy and the nation’s future. The Coastal Guards Bill remains a contentious issue as the Senate faces mounting pressure to abandon the proposal.