*Summons Service Chiefs, Heads of other security Agencies
…As senators lament, seek foreign support
By Ignatius Okorocha
Apparently overwhelmed by the incessant killings, kidnapping and mayhem by bandits and Boko Haram insurgence in virtually all parts of the country, the Senate on Tuesday mandated its leadership to book audience with President Muhammadu on immediate solution to increasing security challenges in the country.
This is even as the upper chamber has also resolve to engage the Service Chiefs and heads of other security Agencies in a closed door meeting with a view to find lasting solutions to the overwhelming security lapses in the country.
The senate mandated its leadership to book an appointment with President Muhammadu Buhari on behalf of the 109 Senators over the growing insecurity in the country with a view to end further killings in parts of the country.
It equally enjoined the Chief of Defense Staff, the Chief of Army Staff and the Inspector General of Police to immediately deploy troops to defend the unarmed populace and bring back security to the affected communities, which is the only antidote to restoring confidence in the security and safety of the affected communities.
The Red chamber further Urged the Chief of Army Staff and the Inspector General of Police to as a matter of urgency direct for the establishment of a permanent military and police command base at the axis adjoining Shiroro and Rafi Local Government areas respectively and to redesigned the modus of operandi of the military operations within the affected areas so as to curtail the escalating insecurity.
It also directed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and NEMA to as a matter national emergency provide relief materials and medical support team to the victims immediately.
It further mandated its committee on foreign Affairs to invite Foreign Affairs Minister, Minister Defence and National Security Adviser and the Director General on NIA on the regional implication of the development in Chad.
These resolutions of the Senate followed a motion by Sen. Musa, Mohammed Sani(Niger East) on the escalating security situation in senatorial district.
Coming under order 42 and 52 of Senate rule inundated the lawmakers with the increasing security situation in parts of his senatorial district where nearly 5600 villagers have been sacked from their ancestral homes by Boko haram insurgence.
According to him Musa,”42 communities across the two local government areas of Shiroro and Munya Local Government have so far fallen under the Boko Haram control with about 5,000 villagers already displaced in the last three days. They have kidnapped many and their wives seized from them and forcefully attached to Boko Haram members.
“Three military camps in Allawa, Bassa and Zagzaga in the two local government areas have been sacked and some security personnel killed by the insurgents in the last one month of renewed attacks.
“I can authoritatively confirmed that the Boko Haram terrorist have mounted their flags in many of the villages they have captured such as Kaure, Alawa and Magami. Inhabitants of these war-torn parts of the State have been abandoned and left to their fate thereby compelling them to wallow in perpetual agony and abject misery.
“Furthermore at this moment primary schools in Gwada, Kuta, Pandogari and Minna have hurriedly been turned to IDP camps following the sacking of nearly 5600 villagers from their ancestral homes in Shiroro, Rafi and Munya local government areas in the last few weeks by bandits who raided the towns and villages. And what this means is that if they can launched attacks without hindrance in Niger East Senatorial District then I don’t see how we can be safe Abuja anymore.”
Contributing to the motion which became the soul deliberation of the upper chamber at Tuesday plenary Sen. Danjuma Lar ( Kaduna South) lamented that Nigerians can nolonger sleep with their two eyes closed because of incessant killings and rape of innocent citizens of the country by bandits.
He called on the federal government to seek foreign support as the only option to dismantle the increasing killings and other forms of criminality by the Boko Haram insurgence.
Sen.Smart Adeyemi(Kogi West ) who opened wept over the lingering insecurity situation across the country,Challenged President Buhari to rise up to the occasion. He said ,”Insecurity is a serious problem today in Nigeria and there comes a time we cannot but speak the truth. Today, all of us have been threatened. We need not run away from the fact that this is the worst instability we are facing.”
“In fact, this is worse than the civil war. The answer is very simple. We cannot pretend that we are capable of confronting the issues we are facing. Let us shout and call for foreign support. The country is bleeding”.
“The President should get to know that we as supporters can no longer keep quiet. The nation is on fire. The President must rise to the occasion and bring in people to save this country or else we will be consumed. We cannot keep quiet any longer.
Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi said: “This issue is not just Niger, it is all over the country. My observation is what is so wrong in our system that makes us not to respect early warning signals?
“In the last 10 years there have been several reports that has given us indications that Nigeria may be entering into the situation that we are describing now. Fundamentally, what are we doing wrongly that will make us to ignore warning signals?
“That is where my concern is. We need to have a private session with the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of this country to find a lasting solution to this huge national embarrassment.
Meanwhile, on his part, Senator Gabriel Suswam said: “The Executive has shown clear incompetence of handling this security issue. Let us do the needful. Let us seriously sit down with Mr. President as a house to show the seriousness of what we have found ourselves in.
“Otherwise we will just find people who will overwhelm us here. Gradually people are getting very impatient. The motion moved by our colleague here is about the fourth time he has moved such a motion.
However, Senator Seriake Dickson blamed the issues bewildering the nation on a faulty constitutional structure, stressing that the challenge the nation is faced with is a challenge of leadership.
He said: “I am impressed that we are looking at issues passionately as we ought to. Right now, there is also loss of fate in the Nigeria dream, project and vision.
“This is why some of us including myself have taken the position that all these issues that are bewildering us is a product of the faulty constitutional structure. How can one man comfortably sit down in Abuja & police our nation of about 200 million people?
Also, Senator Biodun Olujimi said: “I believe we are all tired coming here to talk about insecurity, kidnapping and all the sort. We are where we must now bring out all our arsenals and use on insecurity. There is no political will to handle insecurity.
“We must know what government wants to do about insecurity and this Senate must insist and find out what they want to do”.
Also reacting to the escalating security situation,Sen. Ike Ekweremadu (PDP Enugu) suggested the shutting down of the National Assembly to enable legislators find lasting solutions to the menace.
Sen. Mathew Urhoghide (PDP Edo) said the President should drop national arrogance and seek assistance from foreign countries like America, United Kingdom France and even any capable African nation in solving the problem.
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan assured that the parliament will be ready to pass supplementary budget for the purchase of military equipment in pursing war against insurgency, banditry and other sundry insecurity challenges.
