Senate Passes Bill Establishing Defence Research Bureau For Armed Forces

The Senate has passed a bill seeking to establish a Defence Research and Development Bureau in the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

The Defence Research and Development Bureau (Establishment) Bill seeks to initiate new scientific, technological and environmental research on defence matters.

It also seeks to facilitate collaboration with other national and international institutions in the promotion and transfer of science and technology relating to defence.

Majority Leader of the Senate, Yahaya Abdullahi, moved the motion for re-committal of the bill to the Committee of the Whole for consideration and passage.

Abdullahi, in his presentation, recalled that the bill and two others were passed by the National Assembly and transmitted to the President for assent.

He said, “Some fundamental issues which require fresh legislative action by both chambers of the National Assembly emerged after critical analysis of the bill by Mr President and C-in-C.”

The lawmaker added that against the backdrop of the issues identified, a technical committee of the Senate and House of Representatives as well as the Directorate of Legal Services of the National Assembly met and reworked the bill.

Accordingly, the Senate, relying on order 1(b) and order 52(6) of the Senate Standing Order, 2022 as amended, rescinded its decision on the bill as passed and re-committed the same to the Committee of the Whole for reconsideration and passage.