Killings and Kidnapping is one of the national security issue that has never been curtailed by the security agencies in the country.
However, the issue of kidnapping and killings in the Northern part of the country has become a full blown issue.
The debate within the two chambers in the National Assembly this week
has been focused on these security issue with that of Zamfara being
used as a reference point that it needs to be nipped at the bud.
Also, President Muhammadu Buhari met with Security Chiefs yesterday
and gave them direct orders to restore peace to the states and
communities where bandit activities are prominent.
Two days ago, the Nigerian Senate set aside several billions of Naira
in the 2019 budget to serve as intervention fund for the Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs) affected by bandit activities in Zamfara and
other states.
Following same spirit, the House of Representatives has also asked
President Muhammadu Buhari to appear before it and address Nigerians on
the spate of insecurity across the country.
The lower chamber of the National Assembly said failure by the
President to explain the issues raised by the legislative house would
confirm the opinion of Nigerians that the administration had failed in
its responsibility to protect lives and property.
This is part of the resolutions passed at the plenary when the
lawmakers unanimously adopted a motion moved by Mark Gbillah, lawmaker
representing Gwer-East/Gwer-West Federal Constituency in Benue State.
The motion was entitled, ‘Resurgence of the incessant and annual
massacre of innocent Nigerians across the country by alleged bandits and
killer herdsmen, the gradual occupation of affected communities by
these attackers and the lack of adequate rehabilitation and relief
materials.’
Adopting the motion, which was not debated, the lawmakers resolved to
“request that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
to address the House and the entire nation within 48 hours.”
Buhari is expected to make some explanations to Nigerians on “his
inability and the inability of his administration, since inception, to
declare the killer herdsmen as terrorists, to enable the Armed Forces to
take commensurate action against them.
“The inability of the Armed Forces under his watch to stop the
recurring death of scores of innocent Nigerians annually from systemic
attacks by killer herdsmen and alleged bandits, and the gradual
occupation of the affected communities by these herdsmen despite
countless assurances and statements by him, promising to stop these
attacks.
“His selective and ineffective responses to the killing of Nigerians
by herdsmen, especially when they occur in certain parts of the country
like Benue State.
“The immediate measures he intends to employ as the
Commander-in-Chief to provide the Armed Forces, including the police,
with the required resources (equipment and welfare, etc) to confront and
dislodge the killer herdsmen from their known hideouts, establishment
of permanent presence in immediate proximity to affected communities and
provide a timeline within which these attacks by killer herdsmen and
alleged bandits will be curtailed, so Nigerians can return to their
ancestral homes and means of livelihood.”
The House further resolved to constitute an ad hoc committee to
interface with the Presidency regarding the queries, while it would
engage with the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali; Chief of Defence
Staff and service chiefs, state governments and relevant stakeholders.
The engagement, the lawmakers resolved, would be done “in a public
hearing to determine permanent solutions to the killing of innocent
Nigerians by killer herdsmen and alleged bandits, including the
complicity of any Nigerian or group in the perpetration of these
killings and land grabbing.”
0 Comments: