Members of the Senate raised various
security issues at the plenary on Tuesday, making the lawmakers to
resolve that heads of all security agencies in the country be summoned
to explain the reasons for the proliferation of arms in Nigeria.
The President of the Senate, Bukola
Saraki, also announced that the chamber had given the Inspector-General
of Police, Ibrahim Idris, another invitation to appear before the
lawmakers at the plenary on Wednesday (today), which will be broadcast
live on the Nigerian Television Authority.
Senator Chukwuka Utazi (PDP,
Enugu-North) raised a point of order to inform the Senate about the
bombing of the home of the President-General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo,
Chief Nnia Nwodo.
Nwodo’s house at Ukehe, in the Igboetiti
Local Government Area of Enugu State, was on April 29 attacked with an
improvised explosive device, which destroyed parts of the building.
Utazi urged the Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Bukar Ibrahim, to engage with the
police to unravel the circumstances surrounding the attack “for us to
know this matter has been taken with the seriousness that it deserves.”
Also, Senator Tijjani Kaura (APC,
Zamfara-North) raised a point of order to lament the rising spate of
killings and kidnappings in Zamfara State.
Saraki, in his remarks on the issue of
Zamfara, restated the need for the IG to address the Senate on the
security crises across the country.
He said, “Again, it is an unfortunate
incident in Zamfara, which is on a daily basis. It is of a great concern
to us. We, at the National Assembly, must play our role to see what we
can do to tackle this insecurity issue.
“It is unfortunate, as we said last
time, we expect the IG here. We have given him again till Wednesday to
come here so that we can truly engage and address these problems. This
is the biggest problem we are facing today in the country.
“We saw what happened in Kaduna State
some days ago, and now it is Zamfara. I’m told that there is a Police
Bill we might have to look at. We will do our best despite the level of
lack of cooperation (from the police boss), but we must play our role
and I can assure you that we would do something to bring a change and
make this country more secure.”
The IG had twice failed to appear before
the Senate to explain the alleged inhuman treatment of Senator Dino
Melaye during his arrest and detention by the police over alleged
gunrunning.
The police boss was also asked to brief
the lawmakers on efforts being made to check the spate of killings by
armed herdsmen and militias across the country.
The resolution on Tuesday to summon the
security chiefs followed the adoption of a motion titled, ‘Proliferation
of Dangerous Firearms in Nigeria’ by Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi (APC,
Kaduna-North).
Granting prayers of the motion, the
Senate unanimously resolved to “invite all service chiefs, the Director
General, Department of State Services; the National Security Adviser;
the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service; and the
Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service for discussion on
the way out of this unfortunate situation.”
Moving the motion, Hunkuyi said the
Senate had noted the tribal, communal, religious and other sectarian
clashes, including the farmers/herdsmen crises which were now more
devastating “due to wrongful and easy acquisition of firearms in
violation of due process as laid down by the enabling laws and
regulations.”
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