Insecurity: People must be sacked for failure — Lawan

• as Senate directs army to create base at Auno

Senate President Ahmad Lawan says those employed for the nation’s security must be given targets and that they should be sacked if they do not meet the targets.

Lawan spoke at plenary yesterday after the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Senator Kashim Shettima (Borno) urging the military authorities to establish a base in Auno community to intensify their efforts in the fight against insurgency in the northeast.

Lawan said Nigerians must continue to be focused and united to deal with insecurity.

“In a time like this, it’s extremely essential that leaders come together regardless of their political platforms or beliefs. We’ve to continue to remain focused and united to ensure that we deal with this security challenge in our country.

He said the time had come for the government to ensure that governance is done like it is business.

“If you employ someone, give them personal targets and if the targets are not met with no cogent reasons, he/she should go. When we hold people responsible, they’re likely to perform their job. We’re talking about lives of the people that we represent. We should ensure there’s proper training for the security personnel,” he said.

Suspected Boko Haram attackers, Sunday night, invaded Auno village in Borno, killed 30 people, burnt down shops and commercial vehicles and abducted dozens.

The Senate yesterday condemned the dastardly act and directed the Defence Headquarters to set up a panel to investigate what transpired at Auno and find measures to forestall future occurrence.

It also urged the military and all relevant agencies involved in the fight against Boko Haram to re-engineer and/or rejig their approach towards fighting insurgency in the northeast and other parts of Nigeria.

The Senate also asked the Federal Government to begin a process of rehabilitating the affected communities through the North East Development Commission and send relief materials to the families of those affected by the attacks.

Shettima, in a lead debate, had lamented that there was no single military personnel to engage the attackers, nor re-enforcement from Maiduguri despite the proximity of Auno to the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole.

He said it was time for Nigerians to unite against the scourge of insurgency, killings, banditry and other social vices.

Senator Hadejia Ibrahim (Jigawa) said the Boko Haram attackers seemed to have intelligence reports which they used to perpetuate their dastardly acts.

Gabriel Suswan (Benue) said the Senate needed the buy-in of other arms of government. “If there’s no strong synergy with other arms of  what we’re saying here will only end up in the chamber.

“I think it’s high time we approached this differently. We as elected representatives of our people must move beyond talking on the floor here,” he said.