INSECURITY: Senators attack Buhari

Senators, on Thursday, said Nigeria was gradually itching towards a failed state. They condemned the spate of killings in different parts of the country.

Lawmakers made the remarks, following the adoption of a resolution sponsored by Atai Aidoko at plenary over the killing of 32 people in Omale and Dekina local government areas of Kogi state. The victims were hacked to death on Wednesday.

Adoko said 20 people were killed in Ogane-Enugu community in Dekina, while 12 others were killed in Agbejukolo, Agbenema communities in Omala local government area of the state.

He said: “Despite continued condemnation of killings in many parts of the country, perpetrators of this dastardly act have not been arrested. I want this Senate to urge President Muhammadu Buhari to direct security agencies to bring the situation under control by arresting the perpetrators and ensure that they are prosecuted. This killing is taking another dimension as the killers also amputate peoples hands.”

Emmanuel Paulker, in his remarks, warned that the country was gradually becoming a failed state. He said the government has lost count of the number of Nigerians killed everyday by armed herdsmen and other bandits.

He warned that if urgent steps were not taken to salvage the situation, the country will run into serious crisis. He called for more policing of communities.

Read also: Buhari is a top contestant in failure competition – Ezekwesili

Contributing, the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, said that it was time that the Senate worked closely with the executive to enhance the effectiveness of security agencies in combating crime in the country.

According to him, in a population of about five million, you have only few policemen guarding the society and in the same situation more than few bandits will attack the people.

Eyinnaya Abaribe, in his remarks, came hard on President Muhammadu Buhari. He said the President is not in charge. He also chastised the President over what he described as his frequent “passing of blames to others.”

“The President is always passing blames. He blames every other person, but himself. He tells us every time that he does not know what is happening in the country. How can a President utter such words?

“If the President does not know what is happening in a country like Nigeria, how can we be safe? We should call the President to order and tell him to do his job he was elected to do. He should stop claiming that he does not know what is happening and do the needful,” he cautioned.

Abaribe’s. Remarks did not go down well with some lawmakers, especially members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). During his remarks, he was interjected twice. The interruption led to an uproar on the floor of the Senate.

Lawan and Gbenga Ashafa raised a point of order and urged the Senate President, Bukola Saraki who presided, to call Abaribe to order.

On his part, James Manager blamed the continued killing on non-arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators.

According to him, “societies have evolved and there is law and order, when somebody who commits a crime is caught, he should be punished to serve as deterrent to others.”

Adamu Alero called for the implementation of recommendations of the recently-held National Security summit recently organised by the Senate, in conjunction with the executive arm.

He said it would go a long way in addressing the security challenges confronting the country. The Lawan-led committee on National Security Infrastructure is yet to submit recommendations reached at the summit.

According to him, the meeting with security agencies three weeks ago revealed that the police is overstretched and there is need to recruit more hands as well as increase the funding.
By Ehisuan Odia…

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now