Members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday debated the
incessant killings by herdsmen in Benue State and other parts of
the country, saying that the incidents confirmed that President
Muhammadu Buhari’s administration had “failed.”
The House also invited Buhari to appear before members in
plenary to explain the actions he had taken so far to halt the
killings by making the security and welfare of Nigerians his
priority.
The House asked the President to deploy full military presence
in Benue State “within 24 hours” to smoke out the killer herdsmen
for prosecution.
It also resolved that the President should declare the killer
herdsmen as “terrorists.”
In addition, members agreed to shut down legislative duties for
three days in protest against the unending killings in the country
by herdsmen.
The motion to invite Buhari was moved by an All Progressives
Congress member from Kano State, Mr. Bashir Baballe. It was passed
in an unanimous voice vote.
The Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, presided over Wednesday’s
session.
Baballe moved, “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. “
He was seconded by another APC member from Yobe State, Mr. Goni
Bukar, before the prayer was passed by members.
The lawmakers came to the conclusion after information filtered
to them that 22 more persons had been massacred in Benue State by
herdsmen in Guma and Daudu communities again on Wednesday
morning.
This was barely 24 hours after 19 worshippers, including two
Catholic priests, were gunned down during an early morning funeral
Mass in Ayar Mbalom, Gwer-East Local Government Area of the state
on Tuesday.
The torrents of condemnation followed a motion on urgent public
importance moved by a member from Benue State, Mr. Mark
Terseer-Gbillah, to bring to the attention of the House, an earlier
attack on Nakka by soldiers on April 19.
Terseer-Gbillah, a member of the APC, recalled how the soldiers
torched houses and killed two villagers to avenge the death of a
soldier, believed to have been murdered by unknown persons in the
area.
He informed the House that while the people of Benue had yet to
come to terms with the incident, the killing of the priests and 17
worshippers occurred.
Terseer-Gbillah went on to disclose that just before he came for
Wednesday’s session, he got fresh reports that 22 more villagers
had been killed.
“Mr. Speaker, as we speak, what we hear is that another 22 lives
have been taken this morning in Daudu, Guma.
“It will appear that war has been declared on Benue State. We
have to investigate the alleged connivance by the army and other
security agencies; their inability to carry out security duties in
the state”, he added.
The member representing Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency, Mr.
Dickson Takighir, confirmed the latest killings as he contributed
to the debate.
Members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday debated the
incessant killings by herdsmen in Benue State and other parts of
the country, saying that the incidents confirmed that President
Muhammadu Buhari’s administration had “failed.”
The House also invited Buhari to appear before members in
plenary to explain the actions he had taken so far to halt the
killings by making the security and welfare of Nigerians his
priority.
The House asked the President to deploy full military presence
in Benue State “within 24 hours” to smoke out the killer herdsmen
for prosecution.
It also resolved that the President should declare the killer
herdsmen as “terrorists.”
In addition, members agreed to shut down legislative duties for
three days in protest against the unending killings in the country
by herdsmen.
The motion to invite Buhari was moved by an All Progressives
Congress member from Kano State, Mr. Bashir Baballe. It was passed
in an unanimous voice vote.
The Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, presided over Wednesday’s
session.
Baballe moved, “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. “
He was seconded by another APC member from Yobe State, Mr. Goni
Bukar, before the prayer was passed by members.
The lawmakers came to the conclusion after information filtered
to them that 22 more persons had been massacred in Benue State by
herdsmen in Guma and Daudu communities again on Wednesday
morning.
This was barely 24 hours after 19 worshippers, including two
Catholic priests, were gunned down during an early morning funeral
Mass in Ayar Mbalom, Gwer-East Local Government Area of the state
on Tuesday.
The torrents of condemnation followed a motion on urgent public
importance moved by a member from Benue State, Mr. Mark
Terseer-Gbillah, to bring to the attention of the House, an earlier
attack on Nakka by soldiers on April 19.
Terseer-Gbillah, a member of the APC, recalled how the soldiers
torched houses and killed two villagers to avenge the death of a
soldier, believed to have been murdered by unknown persons in the
area.
He informed the House that while the people of Benue had yet to
come to terms with the incident, the killing of the priests and 17
worshippers occurred.
Terseer-Gbillah went on to disclose that just before he came for
Wednesday’s session, he got fresh reports that 22 more villagers
had been killed.
“Mr. Speaker, as we speak, what we hear is that another 22 lives
have been taken this morning in Daudu, Guma.
“It will appear that war has been declared on Benue State. We
have to investigate the alleged connivance by the army and other
security agencies; their inability to carry out security duties in
the state”, he added.
The member representing Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency, Mr.
Dickson Takighir, confirmed the latest killings as he contributed
to the debate.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/updated-house-of-reps-summons-buhari/