For the umpteenth time, members of the House of Representatives have expressed their anger over insecurity in the country and called for drastic measures including calls for the resignation of the service chiefs.
The calls followed the presentation of two motions on matters of urgent public importance during plenary on Wednesday.
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The motions were moved by Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau) and John Dyegh (PDP, Benue) over the killing of people in various communities in their constituencies by suspected terrorists a few days ago.
Gagdi said the attacks were premeditated as there were early warnings that security agencies were informed of but did nothing to halt the attacks.
According to him, houses, and places of business have been destroyed or burnt down while over 3000 have been displaced from the affected communities.
In his remarks, Deputy Speaker Ahmed Idris Wase, who presided over the plenary, lamented that despite clear intelligence and resolutions including the one presented to the president after the security summit on the insecurity pervading Nigeria, attacks were being carried out and lives were being lost.
Wase said, “In my own community, we had a soldier who was supposed to be in Zamfara given pass for consecutive six months, giving uniform to the bandits. Till this moment he has not been taken to court.
“Why would you give your personnel six months pass? Even when we raise motions it’s sufficient for securities to act but they are adamant. Drastic actions must be taken against some officers”.
Dyegh while presenting his motion said that 19 people were killed in two communities between Monday and Tuesday morning in Benue State.
He added that the attacks were becoming frequent and might aggravate the already tense situation in the state.
In its resolutions, the House called on the federal government to adopt and execute laudable recommendations proffered by the lawmakers.
It further called on all security agencies and the persons in charge to step up their efforts in tackling the security situation in the country through proper intelligence and deployment of personnel to affected areas.
It called on the president to as a matter of urgency direct the Minister of Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the State Security Service to initiate a coordinated joint security operation including aerial surveillance to flush out the terrorists and destroy their camps in Kambari in Taraba State and Bangala in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The House urged the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, to establish military bases in the affected communities.
It also called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali to immediately deploy mobile police force squadrons to maintain law and order.
It also directed the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to immediately provide relief materials to the victims of the attack in communities within the Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State.
