Reps summon Buhari, suspend plenary for 3 days

The leadership of Nigerian House of Representatives on Wednesday resolved to summon President Muhammadu Buhari, of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), to appear before it and explain mounting insecurity crises in the country, especially wanton killings in North Central Nigeria.

The House also decided to suspend its plenary sessions for 3 days to enable it fully appraise the security situation at hand.

Members of the House argued that incessant killings in Benue and other parts of the country by herdsmen are confirmation that President Buhari’s administration had “failed.”

They insist he should appear before the House plenary to tell actions he had taken to bring the wanton killings to a stop.

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The House further called on President Buhari to “within 24 hours” deploy full military presence in Benue State to uncover the killer herdsmen and prosecute them, adding that the marauders should be declared a “terrorists” group.

The decision to summon Buhari came following a motion moved by an APC Rep member from Kano State, Mr. Bashir Baballe, which was passed in a unanimous voice vote.

“We should summon Mr. President, he is the chief security officer of this country. Let him come here and appear to brief us. What has Mr. President been doing to address all these security challenges? We need to know.

“I move that we should summon Mr. President,” Baballe said.

Another ruling APC member from Yobe State, Mr. Goni Bukar, seconded the motion before it was unanimously adopted by the members.

The killing of no less than 22 more persons in Guma and Daudu communities in Benue on Wednesday, barely 24 hours after 19 worshippers, including two Catholic priests were massacred on Tuesday during morning funeral Mass in Ayar Mbalom, Gwer-East Local Government Area also in Benue appear to have triggered the decision of the lawmakers.

The Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, presided over the plenary.

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