7th December, 2022
By Femi Ogunshola
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the Bill to establish the Nigeria Peace Corps after its third reading at plenary.
Rep. Mohammed Monguno, the Chief Whip of the House, who sponsored the Bill, said it was to facilitate peace and ensure security in local communities and neighbourhoods across the country.
Both chambers of the National Assembly had in 2017 passed the Peace Corps Establishment Bill 2016.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari withheld his assent to the Bill, citing a lack of funds.
According to Buhari, the establishment of such an institution would be a duplication of the functions of traditional security agencies.
However, the bill was reintroduced and re-gazetted by the House in July 2019.
The Peace Corps has been in existence since 1998 without legal backing, which led to security agencies clamping down on its activities.