Reps renew call for declaration of state of emergency on insecurity, demand defence minister’s sack

The House of Representatives on Wednesday renewed its demand for a declaration of a state of emergency on insecurity in the country.

The resolution followed the gruesome murder of 92 people in some communities in Kanam and Wase local government areas of Plateau State last weekend.

A member of the House, Yusuf Gagdi (APC-Plateau), who moved the motion at the plenary, noted that over 20 victims that sustained various degrees of injuries in the attack are currently receiving treatment at hospitals in the state.

He said despite intelligence reports by the Department of State Service (DSS) on the influx of terrorists into Plateau, there was no proactive measure taken to avert the terror attack.

The lawmaker said: “The security agencies have reliable information at their disposal of the various camps of these terrorists at Kambari forest in Taraba State.

The Deputy Speaker of the House, Ahmed Wase, in his contribution, charged the security agencies to do their job by protecting Nigerians.

READ ALSO: Nigeria’s insecurity now has international dimension — Reps

He said: “I do not know what anybody can do not to hold the security agencies responsible.

“I have written a letter, paid a visit to inform the police. As I speak, 42 villages in my constituency are in IDP camps.”

Another lawmaker, Bello Kumo (APC-Gombe), asked the President to immediately remove the Minister of Defence and the National Security Adviser, saying that it was needless to keep them given the glaring failure of the security agencies to protect the citizens.

The House, therefore, called for the establishment of a military base and the deployment of troops to the affected areas.

The parliament also demanded the immediate sack of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Minister of Defence, including the indictment of the security agencies for the killings in Plateau State.

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