House of Representatives
The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, began investigation
into the 1 billion dollar appropriated for procurement of arms and
equipment in the fight against Boko Haram in the North East.
The lawmakers also demanded that the Nigerian Army should, after
due consultations with families of soldiers killed in the Nov. 18,
insurgents’ attack in Metele village in Borno, release all their
names.
The resolution was sequel to a motion by Rep Chukwuka Onyema
(PDP-Anambra) at the plenary presided over by Speaker Yakubu Dogara
in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President
Muhammadu Buhari had approved the release of 1 billion dollars for
the procurement of security equipment to be used in the fight
against Boko Haram insurgents.
Moving the motion, Onyema, who is the Deputy Minority Leader,
noted that many Nigerian soldiers of the 157 battalion were
massacred by Boko Haram insurgents, who now called themselves
Islamic State West Africa, in Metele in Borno State.
According to him, the initial figures of the casualty put the
death toll at 44 but as more details emerged, it is now confirmed
that many more soldiers and officers were killed together with
their commanding officer, Lt. Col. Ibrahim Sakaba, while others are
still missing.
“The House notes that according to reports, the insurgents
carted away large consignment of weapons from the Melete army base
which security experts say would embolden them and pose great
danger.
“The House observed that while the news of the attack and death
toll continued to increase, neither the President nor the Minister
of Defense or the army authorities said anything about the report
as there was silence for more than five days.
“The House notes that the President and C-In-C finally broke his
silence six days after the attack in a statement issued on his
behalf,” he said.
The lawmaker said it was unfortunate that in the last one year,
no fewer than 600 Nigerian soldiers were killed by insurgents,
mostly in Borno State around the fringes of the Lake Chad.
He enumerated instances of attacks launched by Boko Haram
against Nigerian soldiers within the year under review.
Onyema, who expressed regret that while the executive continued
to insist that the insurgents had been technically defeated, he
said they seemed to be waxing stronger on a daily basis.
“The House recalls that twice in three years, the
Commander-In-Chief gave directives to service chiefs to permanently
relocate to the Theatre Command Centre in Maiduguri until Boko
Haram is defeated,” he said.
He said it was disheartening that with the recent happenings in
the North, all the successes and gains made against the insurgents
had been reversed.
Contributing, Rep Nnenna Ukeje (PDP-Abia) said it was high time
Nigeria began to change tactics in order to checkmate the audacity
of the insurgents.
She urged the Federal Government to take a cue from Pakistan and
review the curriculum of its military.
Rep Aminu Shagari (PDP-Sokoto), who queried how the recently
appropriated money was used, described the attack as sad.
Rep Beni Lar (PDP-Plateau) called for the sack of the service
chiefs.
On his part, Rep Idris Ease (APC-Plateau) called on the House to
treat the matter dispassionately and not to be affected by
political sentiment.
Rep Rimande Shawulu (PDP-Taraba) recalled that last year, there
were reports that about 6, 000 members of the Islamic State in
Syria (ISIS) found their ways to the sub-Saharan Africa.
According to him, some of the things we are seeing now are not
unexpected.
He argued that the porous nature of the country’s borders was
another challenge.
Shawulu, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Army, however
said that there was the need for the security agencies to account
for the funds appropriated to them.
Other lawmakers who contributed in the Senate include Reps
Johnson Agbonayinma, Stephanus Gyang, Aminu Shagari, Edward Pwajok,
Zakari Mohammed, among others.
The Speaker, Mr Dogara, after over an hour deliberation on the
motion, described the development as an eye-opener.
He said it was time the leadership in the country began to take
responsibility and not to apportion blame.
When the motion was out on a voice vote by the speaker, the
lawmakers unanimously adopted it.
An ad hoc committee to investigate all funds appropriated for
utilisation by the Armed Forces for the fight against insurgency
was set up by the House.
The committee was also charged to look into the operational
lapses that led to the killings of the soldiers.
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