Benue, Plateau Killings: Reps put Buhari on the spot

The recent developments, particularly killings in Benue and Plateau states, forced members of the House of Representatives to take up issues concerning the security and safety of Nigerians with President Muhammadu Buhari. Before members of the House of Representatives proceeded on the Easter break, the lawmakers for the umpteenth time expressed disappointment over the inability of the military and other security agencies to tackle the daily bloodletting and destruction of property by insurgents and criminal groups.

The lawmakers were particularly miffed by the senseless killing of hapless inhabitants of Benue and Plateau in different instances without the intervention of the security agencies. After a heated deliberation, the House again, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ginger the security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities. The lawmakers also called on the President to direct the relevant security agencies to conduct ground and aerial surveillance tin order to locate hideouts of the criminal elements.

They also advised the Inspector-General of Police to immediately deploy mobile policemen to the region and that the relevant committees of the House should furnish the House with weekly reports until normalcy returns to the North Central zone, while the Ministry of Disaster Management and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were charged to ensure that victims are catered for. The resolutions were the outcome of two motions by Hon. Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau) and Hon. John Dyegh (PDP, Benue) on the urgent need to investigate the killings in Benue and Plateau states, respectively.

While Gagdi’s motion was seconded by Hon.Yusuf Buba Yakub from (APC, Adamawa) and Dyegh’s motion was seconded by Hon. Benjamin Mzondu (PDP, Benue).

Presenting his motion on the need to battle the continuous insecurity in Benue State, Hon. Dyegh stated that on April 12, gunmen attacked some communities in the state, killing 12 people, a development he termed as sad as over nine people were also killed in the same manner in the neighbouring community on the previous day.

He called for proactive measures by the security agencies so that restive youths do not take laws into their hands and cause mayhem in the region. According to him people are already expressing fear and distrust for each other. Dyegh also called for relief to be made available for the victims of the attacks. Hon. Mzondu, who cosponsor of the motion, in his contribution to the debate, called for urgent actions to be taken to stop the bleeding in Benue State. He called for the protection of the people to forestall food insecurity as people are afraid to go to their farms. This, according to him is dangerous considering that Benue is the food basket of the nation.

The lawmaker called on the security agencies to as a matter of urgency heed the cry of people in Benue State and ensure their safety. He bemoaned the national spread of insecurity in Nigeria. He asked the government to ask for international help if they have been overwhelmed by insecurity. Supporting the motion, Hon. Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim (APC, Yobe) expressed sadness at the widespread insecurity. She called for a change in the approach to the security system and its application in the country.

In her contribution, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (APC, Abia) called for responsibility on behalf of the service chiefs who have a primary responsibility to keep Nigerians safe. She stated that Nigeria is under siege and Nigerians live in fear.

She bemoaned the fact that no means of transportation is safe anymore and called for efforts to be intensified to release of all kidnapped Nigerians. Similarly, Hon. Herman Hembe (APC, Benue) condemned in its totality the violence meted to Nigerians. He called for more intelligent and practical measures in tackling insecurity.

In his submission, Hon. Mohammed Wudil (APC, Kano), expressed sadness over the continuous motions of insecurity on the floor of the House with far-reaching resolutions that have gone unheeded by the security chiefs. He further expressed sadness over the way government at all levels seems to be failing Nigerians.

Wudil called for a stop to the blame-game and for sacrifice of whatever resources needed to fight insecurity to a standstill. He decried how the security personnel are also killed daily, while calling for proper arming and motivation of the security personnel. Hon. Balarabe Salame, on his part, bemoaned how the national security challenges started as small flames that weren’t put out until they became an engulfing national flame. He wondered why enormous funds are expended in the procurement of Tucano jets and appropriated for the security agencies without evidence of utilization.

He called for the invitation of the Chief of the Air Staff for him to explain to members of the House why the Tucano jets are not being deployed in the fight against insecurity. Deputy Speaker of the House, Ahmed Idris Wase, called on all relevant agencies to collaborate to ensure that insecurity is defeated.

In leading the debate on his motion, Hon. Gagdi noted that the killing of innocent Nigerians in Plateau State, which occurred on Sunday, April 10, is one too many in the state. The lawmaker maintained that the fact that over 90 people lost their lives in the mayhem, calls for investigation, so that the perpetrators would be brought to book. He also decried the large number of injured and displaced persons even as he pointed out that health facilities in affected area are overwhelmed.

He expressed worry that there was no proactive measure by security agencies to avert the attack despite the intelligence report. He wondered why the forests and other known hideouts of these bandits have not been combed and cleared. Gagdi reminded the House of the resolution of a similar motion brought before it by the deputy speaker, without due compliance by the relevant agencies.

He wondered how constituents, who members of the House represent, will have faith in governance anymore. The lawmaker also wondered why the security forces that the National Assembly keeps voting huge amounts of funds for during budget proposals have failed ensure the safety of Nigerians. Hon. Bamidele Salam (PDP, Oyo), in his contribution, decried the massacre that occurred in Plateau State. He called for the security of Nigerians who they represent. Bemoaning the fact that there was an early warning of the attack that was not acted upon by the security agencies, he called on the House to work directly for those attacked, even if it means sitting in the affected regions.

A visibly angry Hon. Lynda Ikpeazu (PDP, Anambra), wondered why insecurity has become the norm in Nigeria without decisive reactions by the security personnel. She called for more proactive actions before Nigeria becomes a failed state. She bemoaned the fact that resolutions on insecurity on the floor of the House over the years have not been acted on by the security personnel.

She, therefore, called for the expulsion of all political lines of the divide to face terrorists in unity as a nation. Also contributing to the motion, the chairman of the House Committee on Police Affairs, Hon. Usman Kumo, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to act proactively and change the National Security Adviser, who is supposed to be the coordinator of the nation’s security apparatus but has been overwhelmed all these years as well as the Minister of Defence. Also, Hon. Blessing Onuh (APC, Benue) called on members to employ more drastic actions to meet the bandits head-on. She called on Nigerians at all levels to be vigilant and point out unscrupulous elements in their locality.

She also called for such orientation to be incorporated into the schools’ curriculum as well as integration of regional solutions to make it holistic for the nation. Bringing his perspective to the motion, the deputy speaker, Wase, stated that when he sponsored a motion, he described the routes the bandits ply to cause mayhem in the region.

He also said that he had to personally visit the relevant security agencies to complain as a leader of the region but the security agencies did not act on his message. He called on the security agencies to do their work and engage the communities to overcome the bandits. He also called on relevant committees of the House to ensure proper oversight of security agencies, while reports should be turned in for the House to take necessary proactive actions. As the House reconvene from the Easter break, it is expected that the relevant committees will take up the matter with the executive and ensure that pragmatic steps are taken to protect the people and improve security across the nation. (New Telegraph)