Residents Boo Buhari, Boko Haram Attacks Borno Capital [PUNCH]
A large crowd of Borno residents, on Wednesday, booed the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), as his convoy drove from the Maiduguri International Airport to the centre of the city.
Buhari, upon returning from a five-day trip to Ethiopia for an African Union summit, paid a condolence visit to the North-Eastern state, following a Boko Haram attack on Sunday.
As his convoy moved to the city at 1:30pm, he was booed by residents, who lined up along the airport road.
At the airport, the President did not shake hands with some traditional rulers, who came to welcome him.
During previous visits to Borno State, Buhari received a warm reception from residents of the state, which is regarded as one of his strongholds.
On Wednesday, the people, who were dissatisfied with the upsurge in Boko Haram attacks in the state, lined up along the airport road and shouted in Hausa Bama so! Bamayi!, meaning “We don’t want,” “we’re not interested.”
There have been sustained attacks by insurgents on roads leading to Maiduguri in recent times. On Sunday, no fewer than 30 travellers, including children and women, were burnt to death by insurgents, who invaded Auno, 20 kilometres to Maiduguri.
Two weeks ago, two persons were slaughtered by Boko Haram and their frozen fish carted away. The victims slept in a truck because they could not meet the 5pm deadline when the military usually shut the Maiduguri gate.
On January 6, the insurgents attacked Gamboru in the state, with no fewer than 30 persons killed after an improvised explosive device exploded on a bridge.
Also on January 18, one soldier and four Boko Haram terrorists were killed during an attack on an aid facility in the Ngala area of the state, where at least 20 internally displaced persons waiting for assistance at the facility were killed.
Also on January 20, many residents were abducted in two confrontations between the military and Boko Haram insurgents on the Bama-Gwoza highway.
A day later, eight soldiers were reportedly killed during a battle with the Boko Haram insurgents in Kaga, Borno.
The insurgents had disguised and moved in a police vehicle towards a military base, before opening fire on unsuspecting soldiers near their trench.
But Buhari, in an op-ed in a United States-based magazine, Christianity Today, had last week stated that since he assumed office in 2015, the insurgents had been weakened by the armed forces.
The President’s comment came on the heels of criticisms by prominent Nigerians and groups, including the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, who expressed concern about increasing insecurity in the country.
We can’t travel out of Maiduguri – Residents
Some Maiduguri residents, in separate interviews with The PUNCH on Wednesday, explained why the President was booed.
They said the people of the state were fed up with the President’s failure to restore peace to the state after five years in government.
One of them, Abba Yusuph said, “The President was elected and equally re-elected on the grounds of providing security and pushing Boko Haram out, up till now that has never been done.
“We asked for the change of the service chiefs, the President did not accede and we are locked inside Maiduguri as if we are prisoners.
“We cannot travel outside the town without fear. We just have to pray that we are not killed on the road while the insurgents keep moving closer on Maiduguri. There is hardly any family that has not lost a loved one.”
Buhari, at the Palace of Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar El-Kanemi, sought the cooperation of residents of the state for the military to win the war against the insurgents.
Addressing traditional rulers and other prominent Borno indigenes at the palace, he said, “The cooperation of your people with our troops and other security agencies by providing credible information could end insurgency not only in Borno but other states of Yobe and Adamawa.”
With the brief advice to Borno monarchs, Buhari proceeded to the Government House, from where he went to the airport to take his flight to Abuja at 3:30pm.
Buhari fails to visit scene of Sunday attacks
Contrary to the expectations of the public that Buhari was in the state to visit Auno, the community affected by the Sunday attack, the President did not visit the community.
But in an interview with journalists in Maiduguri, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said, “There is no need to go to Auno, as the President’s visit to Borno, was to condole with victims and people of the state.”
The President’s media aide, in a statement later in Abuja, stated that Buhari, during the visit, promised to deploy “harder”, “vigorous” strategies against Boko Haram terrorists.
Buhari, according to the statement, “maintained that intelligence sharing and synergy between law enforcement agencies and the civil populace are critical towards achieving the objectives.
“I assure you that improvement in security will be pursued vigorously. The military will work harder and strategise with tactics to deal with the insurgents. This is however not possible without good intelligence and cooperation with local community leaders.”
Sowore: Soyinka, Others In Court, Judge Fines FG N.2m [PUNCH]
Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, and some activists on Wednesday appeared at the Federal High Court in Abuja, in solidarity with SaharaReporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, who is being prosecuted alongside Olawale Bakare, for organising the #RevolutionNow protest in August last year.
The Wednesday’s proceedings were, however, stalled because the Attorney General of the Federation’s office, which took over the prosecution of the case from the Department of State Services in December, had not been able to serve the amended charges and other documents relating to the case on the defence counsel to enable the trial to commence as scheduled.
Displeased with what she described as frivolous and uncalled for, the trial judge, Justice Ijoma Ojukwu, awarded N200,000 fine against the prosecution.
She postponed the trial till Thursday, warning that she would not entertain the case if the prosecution fails to present evidence of the payment of the N200,000 fine or come to court with the cash.
She condemned the late filing of amended charges and service of same on the defence team in the open court on Wednesday.
The judge also expressed dissatisfaction with the prosecution’s failure to serve all necessary documents on the defence as ordered by the court over seven weeks ago.
She noted, “It took the prosecution seven weeks to determine whether or not to amend the charges and only served the amended charges on the defence in open court today.
“The prosecution has not served all the necessary documents on the defendants as ordered by the court. This, to my mind, is an attempt to delay the trial. The law requires that the matter be heard timeously. The delay is uncalled for and the application for adjournment is frivolous.”
The prosecuting counsel, Mr Kayode Alilu, from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, had explained to the court that the amendment to the charges followed the taking over of the case from the DSS in December.
He pleaded for an adjournment to effect the service on the defence.
But the defence lawyer, Mr Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), contended that the prosecution was not prepared for trial and urged the court to strike out the charges.
He said the prosecution’s request for an adjournment was frivolous and an indication of their lack of diligence in the prosecution of the case.
But Alilu opposed the application for the striking out of the charges.
He cited Section 396(5) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2011, which, he said, granted parties in a criminal case the liberty to ask for an adjournment up to five times in the course of the trial, adding that the prosecution had yet to exhaust the five times.
The judge, in a ruling, refused to strike out the case but awarded N200,000 cost against the prosecution, in favour of the defence.
Ohanaeze Opts For Operation Ogbunigwe, Govs Back Community Policing [PUNCH]
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, as well as some religious leaders on Wednesday called on the Federal Government to allow the South-East to establish their security outfit to be known as Operation Ogbunigwe.
This is just as the governors of the zone adopted the community policing programme of the Nigeria Police Force for the zone.
The two parties spoke at the end of South-East Security Summit held in Enugu with the theme, ‘Strategic Partnership for effective Community Policing in the South East Geo-Political Zone.’
The Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi, who read the position of the governors at the end of the summit organised by the Nigeria Police, said that they were satisfied with the strategies for the implementation of the community policing programme in the zone.
Umahi said, “We reached a satisfactory and acceptable decision and agreement.
“The IG’s presentation was not different from “our neighbourhood watch, our vigilante operation and forests guard, the herdsmen and farmers peace community among others. “When we saw that this is totally in tandem with what we are doing, we decided as your governors to embrace the initiative of community policing.”
But the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, appealed to the Federal Government to allow the South-East to establish their own security to take care of their challenges and peculiarities.
Nwodo said, “Mr IGP, our farms have been devastated and the herders that devastated our farms carry AK-47 rifles. You cannot be talking about community policing when the people you want to supervise, you do not understand their language.
“Your legal architecture doesn’t take into consideration that our governors, by the constitution, are the chief security officers of their various states, and this gives them the responsibility to protect the lives and property of their citizens. So when you begin to talk about recruitment, with the commander and control, and you do not share with the governors and representatives at the local areas this command and control and recruitment, this exercise is dead on arrival.”
Constitution Amendment: Senate To Revisit 2014 Confab, el-Rufai C’ttee Reports [LEADERSHIP]
The Senate Constitution Amendment Committee says it will consider the 2014 National Conference report and that of the Mallam Nasir el-Rufai-led Committee on restructuring the polity in its new assignment.
The 2014 Confab report which was a product of far-reaching decisions by prominent Nigerians during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan was headed by retired chief justice of Nigeria, Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi.
Also, the el-Rufai panel on restructuring was set up by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government of President Muhammadu Buhari, following growing demands from Nigerians.
But the Senate committee, headed by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege and 58 other lawmakers in the Red Chamber, said that it will consider the two reports.
LEADERSHIP recalls that election matters, devolution of powers, regionalism, security and other national issues top the agenda as the committee was inaugurated yesterday.
There was a mild drama when Senator Ifeanyi Ubah who was not part of the committee invaded the committee room.
It was after all speeches were delivered that the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, announced that Ubah had been included in the committee to represent the Young Progressive Party (YPP).
Ubah had protested of his exclusion from the panel when the Senate president announced the members last week.
But with Ubah’s inclusion and the announcement by the Senate president that all the seven women in the Upper House are part of the committee, the number has increased to 58.
Omo-Agege said that after receiving memoranda from Nigerians and various bills in the Senate, they will consider the 2014 national conference report.
He said:“In addition, this committee will consider the recommendations of the 2014 Constitutional Conference and the Governor Nasir el-Rufai-led Committee on restructuring.
“We would also liaise with our counterparts in the House of Representatives, the State Houses of Assembly and collaborate and build consensus with all stakeholders to ensure synergy. Development partners will also play pivotal roles through counsel, workshops, conferences and interactions. The partnership roles of the executive and the judiciary and their invaluable contributions cannot be over looked as it will enhance efficient and successful outcomes.
“In carrying out this national assignment, this committee will no doubt consider the alteration of the Sixth Schedule to make provision for new items, the establishment of National and State Houses of Assembly, pre-election matters tribunals, governorship pre-election matters tribunals and presidential pre-election matters tribunal, including time limits for the disposal of all pre-election matters before the conduct of the general elections.
“We will also consider the need for the devolution of power, full local government fiscal autonomy, full autonomy of the judiciary in the area of administration of justice, youth inclusiveness in governance, and gender parity or affirmative action. This is by no means an exhaustive list. The committee will also consider inputs from stakeholders and different interest groups across the country,” Omo-Agege said.
While inaugurating the committee, Senator Lawan said that the Senate had resolved to re-examine the constitution, consistent with its legislative agenda and in tandem with the yearnings of Nigerians.
He said: “You will agree with me that reviewing the constitution is an arduous task. It requires painstaking consultations, dialogues and debates,” Lawan said, and called on Nigerians to submit memoranda to the committee.
“We expect consultations with public organisations and the civil society. These include the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as the vehicle for elections, civil society groups, the academia, the media, and indeed, the citizenry.
”This assignment needs a great deal of time, resources and expert ideas. This is so because constitutional reviews are not every day exercises. On the few occasions that it becomes necessary, we have the responsibility to ensure that inputs and outputs are not just exhaustive, but should also be wide ranging and effective.
”When this process is foolproof, we can then be rest assured that it will take a longer time before new realities possibly trigger demands for amendments. The Senate is mindful of the central role of the constitution as the grundnorm of our democracy.
”The continued success of our democracy is reasonably dependent on a well-thought constitution. Though no constitution can be faultless, mostly because social dynamics are unpredictable, but a good review can increase its functionality, and then decrease social agitations,” Lawan stated.
Among the bills for the alteration of the constitution which have passed the first reading are Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2019 (SB. 109), sponsored by Senator Babba Kaita Ahmad (Katsina North); Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2019 (SB. 75), sponsored by Senator Istifanus Gyang (Plateau North); Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2019 (SB. 48), sponsored by Senator Rose Oko (Cross River North); Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2019 (SB. 184), sponsored by Senator Uche Ekwunife (Anambra Central); Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2019 (SB. 204), sponsored by Senator Gabriel Suswam (Benue North East); Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2019 (SB. 218), sponsored by Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi (Ekiti North), and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2019 (SB. 240), sponsored by Senator Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West).
Others are the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2019 (SB. 247), sponsored by Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru (Osun Central); Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill 2019 (SB.74), sponsored by Senator Gyang, lstifanus Dun (Plateau North), and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2019 (SB 259), sponsored by Senator Bamidele Michael Opeyemi (Ekiti Central).
FG Concludes Plans On Resettlement City For IDPs [LEADERSHIP]
The federal government through the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced persons has disclosed its readiness to build resettlement city for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria.
The federal commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced persons, Senator Basheer Mohammed made this known when the management team of LEADERSHIP Group visited the commission yesterday, in Abuja.
Mohammed said, “Our plan this year is to resettle one million displaced people who are scattered across the country and bring them back to their communities where peace have been restored, we have gone a long way in achieving this project because we have discussed with some of the state government, especially Borno state governor and we have identified about five local government where we intend to settle this people”.
“We call them Resettlement City, in each city, we intend to have four housing units, 300 comprising of two- bedroom, 100 comprising of 1-bedroom and in the city, we intend to have a mosque, church, school, clinic and skills acquisition center that will make up a city like anywhere in the world because all facilities will be there”.
He expressed that the Commission is saddled with the responsibility and the mandate of looking after an estimated figure of over 2.2 million Nigerians who are displaced, including our brothers and sisters outside the country like Niger, Cameroon and Chad, with an estimated number of 200, 000, that will be handled by the agency.
“This is the only agency saddled with the responsibility of looking after the vulnerable Nigerians, we provide them with food items and non-food items like clothing.” We realised that keeping this people in camps and providing relieve materials is not enough and is not helping the government, that’s why we said the best thing to do as a commission is to see how we can find a way forward by reintegrating and rehabilitating them back to their communities so that they can join farming to be able to live a dignified life”, he added.
He said, “In Maiduguri, we intend to have 5 resettlement cities in 5 local government, we have identified 5 other states that are in need of such facilities like Cross Rivers, Adamawa, Katsina and Zamfara state. They are faced with the challenge of scattered count across the country and we have one thousand camps officials and non-officials.
He therefore sought the support of LEADERSHIP Group in promoting the commission’s agenda as a business entity that would help them amplify their project.
Responding, the Chief Operating Officer, LEADERSHIP Newspaper, Mr. Rasheed Yusuf assured of its readiness to partner the commission in conveying the commission’s activities and projects to the larger populace.
After Buhari’s Visit, Boko Haram Hits Borno [SUN]
- President blames community leaders for attacks •Go beyond sympathy visits, take decisive actions to end killings –PDP •Reps seek state of emergency
Suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked Alikaramchi village, close to Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri, Borno State, a few hours after President Muhammadu Buhari visit, yesterday.
Bamus Garba, a resident of the area who confirmed the fresh attack, said twin suicide bombers struck around 9:10pm. He said the attack happened some meters away from his home.
“We heard loud explosions close to my neighbour’s house. I cannot confirm the casualty because we cannot go out at this time of the day,” he said.
Ali Dusuman, a member of civilian JTF, a vigilante group, said eight persons sustained injuries in the attack while two suicide bombers were killed.
Dustman said a team from the explosive ordinance department of the police has visited the scene alongside some security personnel.
During his visit, Buhari had blamed community leaders in Borno State for recent terrorist attacks, saying they could not have happened without their knowledge.
In the latest attack, terrorists targeted the village of Auno, killed at least 30, burnt property, looted valuables and abducted women and children.
Buhari, who visited the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Garbai El-Kanemi, and the governor, but avoinded the troubled Auno town, said the fight against insurgency could not be executed without good intelligence and support from the people.
FG Sets Up 3 Coronavirus Test Centres [SUN]
- Approves N2bn contract for port facilities •Okays N318m to hire consultants for NDDC forensic audit
The Federal Government has acquired the necessary reagents to test for presence of Covid-19 (corona virus) in suspected patients.
Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, disclosed this while briefing State House Correspondents on the outcome of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential villa, Abuja, yesterday.
He said the reagents were acquired about eight days ago but assured that no case has been detected in the country or in Africa.
“We have the machines; they are called Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machines which we have here for molecular diagnostics; but we didn’t have the reagents.
“Because for every pathogen, you have a specific pathogen that you will use to detect it and that one for Corona virus being a new disease was not very much available but we acquired it about eight days ago.
“And now three laboratories in Nigeria can test Coronavirus. In fact, they have tested two cases already which were negative—Lagos, Abuja and Irrua. Irrua, as you know is Nigeria’s Centre of Excellence for this Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers which is the category to which Coronavirus and Lassa fever belong particularly.”
Ehanire, who said he updated the council on the state of preparedness for the trending problem of Corona virus and also the endemic Lassa fever in Nigeria, disclosed that the frontline was the port health services while the second line of defence was the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control.
The minister said the level of preparedness at international airports which were the main points of entry into the country—Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano was high.
“We look at your travel history to be able to find out where you are coming from and risk you could be carrying.
“Everybody who is coming from that area is given a form to fill; the form contains a number and we also take their numbers; they contact us to let them know if within 14 days of the incubation period, they have any symptoms or not.
“If we don’t hear from them, we call them to find out if they are okay within those 14 days.’’
Imo: Charly Boy Leads Massive Protest, Says Father Told Him Supreme Court Can Make Mistake [SUN]
The patron of Imo Concerned Citizens Forum, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly boy, yesterday, lead street a protest in Owerri, Imo State over the Supreme Court judgment that ousted Emeka Ihedioha.
“As a little boy, a ten-year-old boy, my father, who was once in charge of the Supreme Court once said that the Supreme Court can make mistakes. We admit that the Supreme Court has made a mistake. They should correct themselves.”
This is as an attempt by the some hoodlums suspected to be supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop the protest was foiled by angry youths and security agents.
Thousands of supporters of Ihedioha had converged on the ancestral ground of Owerri, Ugwu Ekwema on Egbu road, before 10am to continue with the protest against the removal of the former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives.
Oputa told the teeming members of Imo Concerned Citizens (ICC) that the protest was for the good of Imo and her people.
“We are here because of the progress of Imo, especially the youths who have people like me. The Supreme Court judges made a mistake and what we are doing here is to say there has been a miscarriage of justice. We are pleading with the justices that they should please reverse themselves on Imo.”
He lamented at what he described as so much injustice in the country.
“I know that part of government’s job is to protect citizens but what we see is systematic endemic injustice and we will stand together to fight it wherever we see it.”
One of the leaders of the ICC, Kingsley Onwubiko, said Imo people were angry at the removal of Ihedioha, who is “our liberator, a man who came and removed foolishness from our state. We beg the apex court to give us back the man Imo people voted for.”
FIRS Launches Intelligence System To Track Tax Evaders, Defaulters [THE NATION]
Hard times await tax evaders this year, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has said.
The agency has launched a national intelligence gathering system to prevent tax evasion.
The system will gather data that will be used to expose tax evaders.
FIRS Executive Chairman Muhammad Nami stated this on Wednesday in Abuja during a visit to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Chairman, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye.
Nami added that the service is restructuring its system to enable it surpass its 2020 revenue target.
He said: “The intelligence gathering system is Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-based and is being implemented in close collaboration with the ICPC and other anti-corruption agencies as well as financial institutions to tackle economy-based crimes, including money laundering.”
Nami explained that the FIRS is improving it’s “collaboration with the ICPC to track tax fraud and block all revenue leakages to ensure that we raise the revenue for the government to fund its budget. We need the data and intelligence which you have to help us track tax evaders and bring them into the tax net”.
Prof. Owasanoye said the ICPC was open to share data with the FIRS to track tax evaders, defaulters and tackle illicit financial flow in Nigeria to raise the revenue profile of the government.
“The collaboration between the FIRS and the ICPC is very important to Nigeria. One of the cardinal objectives of this Board of the ICPC is to widen the tax net. When we come across any company that is not tax compliant, we refer such companies to the FIRS. We have referred over 500 companies to FIRS. We want them to be captured in the tax net so that they continue to pay their taxes,” he added.
Nami said the FIRS Board had approved many reform projects, which the Management of FIRS tabled before it, noting that repositioning the service is being anchored on four cardinal pillars, namely, “rebuilding FIRS’ institutional framework, robust collaboration with stakeholders, building a customer (Taxpayer)-centric and data-centric institution.”
Ooni, Sultan, Others To Back Govt On Security [THE NATION]
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi and the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar have expressed the readiness of traditional rulers to partner the Federal Government in tackling the security challenges in the country.
They also advocated good governance as key to ending the challenges that range from killings to insurgency.
The two first class monarchs spoke during a National Summit on Security and Insecurity in Nigeria at the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding in Osogbo, Osun State on Wednesday.
Ogunwusi, who described security of lives and property as fundamental to existence, stressed the need for government to return security matters to traditional rulers for effective and efficient policing at the grassroots.
He also advised political leaders who are unable to protect the lives and property of the populace to allow competent hands take over.
The Ooni said: “It about time for us to know the real role of the natural rulers across the entire county of ours. It is about time for the government to give us that opportunity to do it the way our ancestors were doing.
“We are willing now to work with the government. The traditional rulers understand the dynamics of everything, especially the kingdom we are. So, now we should be talking about the solution. Enough of talking but a solution.
“We traditional rulers should now come together. A good example is the Southwest Security Network, code named ‘Amotekun.’.
Also, Sultan of Sokoto Sa’ad Abubakar advocated for good governance, peace, and security in Nigeria.
The Sultan noted that without justice, a nation can’t have good governance.
His words, “You cannot have peace and security when you don’t have good governance and justice. Without justice, you can’t have good governance.
“We need to rise to the occasion things are really bad. If you keep quiet and don’t get up to see how we can help our political leaders on this issue, then we are part and parcel of the problem when you keep quiet in the face of injustice. And Almighty Allah would ask you on that day when you have nobody. how you have used your position to help the common man.
“And if you have no answer God has a way of rewarding you and I don’t pray for that for anyone. So we should speak out the truth all the time without being afraid of a governor or local government chairman or chairman of the traditional council threatening you. If you are convinced speak out and stand by it.
“I have always said that the problem of this country is us, the elite. If we want to deal with these problems, we can do it. We have always used the common man who doesn’t have anything to get what we want and lord it over them. I urge the elite to visit graveyards to see their rich predecessor and understand that no one would depart this world with anything.”
Governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, called for a holistic approach to end insecurity in the country.
Oyetola said for the country to overcome the menace, security agencies must collaborate with the traditional rulers, sensitize and encourage the people to provide intelligence and expose the criminals in their domain.
Reps To Buhari: Declare Emergency On Security [THE NATION]
- Community leaders’ support crucial to ending insurgency, says Buhari
- 21 killed in Kaduna community
The House of Representatives on Wednesday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency on security.
It also called for investigation into the reported low morale of frontline troops in the Northeast, the establishment of special/super camps by the Army and the withdrawal of soldiers from checkpoints to the camps.
The lawmakers lamented the killing of 30 travellers in Auno, near Maiduguri on Sunday by insurgents. They insisted that a drastic action to curtail the trend had become more than imperative.
The decision followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Chief Whip of the House Mohammed Monguno.
Monguno told his colleagues that after closing a checkpoint on the Damaturu-Maiduguri Highway in Auno, soldiers left the travellers at the mercy of Boko Haram.
He explained that some women and infants were abducted by the insurgents in the community which is about 28 minutes’ drive from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
Co-sponsor of the motion, Ahmed Jaha, said among the many vehicles that were burnt at the checkpoint was a military tanker conveying petroleum product to Maiduguri.
He wondered why the military also disallowed its own truck from crossing the checkpoint.
Jaha claimed that the checkpoint was closed by the soldiers 15 minutes before the scheduled 5pm time, leaving the travellers stranded.
While insisting that the attack on the travellers was avoidable, the lawmaker blamed failure of intelligence gathering for the attack, adding that there was information making the rounds about the movement of the insurgents from one village to another.
He said it was sad for leaders to stay in their comfort zones while their people were being gruesomely killed.
“This issue is of national importance. It is the Northeast today. Nobody knows where it will affect next,” he warned.
Jaha also wondered why the military should introduce super camps where they retire to and close checkpoints, thereby preventing movements by motorists.
Minority Leader Ndudi Elumelu said it was inhuman for the military to close the road and abandon their duty post without security for travellers.
He re-emphasised the earlier resolution of the House calling on the service chiefs to resign or be fired.
Elumelu also drew the attention of the House to a trending video on the social media of soldiers complaining of low morale, adding that lawmakers had been talking about the same issue of insecurity on a daily basis without any action.
Elumelu said it was time for action on security in the country.
“Our brothers and sisters are being killed daily in the Northeast. My worry is that one day, we will be chased out of this chamber.
“It is high time the right thing was done. Nigerians voted for President Buhari because he promised to protect them. I still stand by the House resolution that the service chiefs should go because they have outlived their usefulness.”
After the contributions, the House resolved among other things, to direct the military authorities to henceforth stop keeping commuters overnight at a particular period on the Damaturu-Maiduguri Road and to allow them proceed on their journey even after 6pm
They also asked the House Committees on Army; National Security and Intelligence to investigate the remote causes of the attack.
The Committee on Army was mandated to investigate the setting up of the super camps and withdrawal of military from checkpoints.