Insecurity: Senate Seeks Establishment Of Permanent Joint Police-Army Command Base In Niger

The Senate on Tuesday sought the establishment of a permanent
military and police command base in the area adjoining Shiroro and
Rafi Local Government areas of Niger state, to tackle escalating
insecurity in the state.

The resolution was sequel to a Point of Order raised by Sen.
Sani Musa (APC-Niger) at plenary.

The upper chamber also urged the Chief of Army Staff and the
Inspector-General of Police to redesign the mode of operations of
the military in the affected areas, so as to curtail escalating
insecurity.

The motion was titled “The activities of bandits and Boko Haram
terrorists in Shiroro, Munya and Rafi Local Government Areas of
Niger State: And the need to bring an end to the menace.”

An additional resolution was for the Senate to schedule a
meeting with President Muhammadu on the security situation.

Raising Orders 42 and 52 of the Senate Standing Rules, Musa
recalled that although several efforts had been made on the
insecurity situation in the country, nothing had been achieved so
far.

“In this hallowed chamber we have made several resolutions, set
up an Ad-hoc Committee on Security and declared every support at
bringing an end to the persistent insecurity in our nation.

“We have appropriated budget and also advanced numerous steps to
support our nation’s security agencies, yet security has continued
to elude the nation.

“Almost seven years now, Niger East Senatorial District has come
under constant and sustained multiple deadly attacks by heartless,
venomous and hydra-headed Boko Haram terrorists.

“About 42 communities across the two local government areas of
Shiroro and Munya Local Governments have so far fallen under Boko
Haram control, with about 5,000 villagers already displaced in the
last three days.”

Supporting the debate, Sen. Sabi Abdullahi said: “Yet again, we
are here discussing this unfortunate incidence of insecurity in our
country.

“It is indeed with a very heavy heart and a painful voice that I
lend my support to the motion moved by my brother, Sen. Sani
Musa.

“Given whatever suggestions we are going to make by virtue of
the prayers in the motion, my concern is that something drastic has
to be done,” he said.

Also, Sen. Bima Enagi (APC-Niger) said that the situation had
become so bad and so shameful.

“Our women cannot go to markets; our women cannot go to fetch
water from the rivers; our men cannot go to the farms; our children
cannot go to school.

“We all know that we are here today because we had the
opportunity of education. Now, our brothers, our children are being
denied that education.

“We cannot continue to allow Boko Haram to mount flags on
Nigerian territory. What is our army doing,” he asked?

In his remarks, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan said that
what was crucial to the situation was to proffer solutions.

“Our solutions are of course the resolutions, the resolutions
that we passed and then we make some follow ups.

“I don’t think it’s the best of ideas we close the Senate
because there is serious security situation and actually when your
country is challenged that is when you need the parliament to be
alive, not to close.

“And we shall never be deterred, we should not be discouraged by
the discussions that we have here, because this is the essence of
parliament.

“We will follow it up, we will insist that our resolutions are
implemented,” he said.

Lawan further called for a supplementary budget to fund, not
only the recruitment of additional security personnel but also
procurement of weapons.

In the meantime, the Senate has mandated its Committees on
Foreign Affairs and Defence to engage with the Ministers of Foreign
affairs, the National Security Adviser and the Minister of Defence
on the regional implications of developments in neighbouring Chad
republic. (NAN)

The Senate on Tuesday sought the establishment of a permanent
military and police command base in the area adjoining Shiroro and
Rafi Local Government areas of Niger state, to tackle escalating
insecurity in the state.

The resolution was sequel to a Point of Order raised by Sen.
Sani Musa (APC-Niger) at plenary.

The upper chamber also urged the Chief of Army Staff and the
Inspector-General of Police to redesign the mode of operations of
the military in the affected areas, so as to curtail escalating
insecurity.

The motion was titled “The activities of bandits and Boko Haram
terrorists in Shiroro, Munya and Rafi Local Government Areas of
Niger State: And the need to bring an end to the menace.”

An additional resolution was for the Senate to schedule a
meeting with President Muhammadu on the security situation.

Raising Orders 42 and 52 of the Senate Standing Rules, Musa
recalled that although several efforts had been made on the
insecurity situation in the country, nothing had been achieved so
far.

“In this hallowed chamber we have made several resolutions, set
up an Ad-hoc Committee on Security and declared every support at
bringing an end to the persistent insecurity in our nation.

“We have appropriated budget and also advanced numerous steps to
support our nation’s security agencies, yet security has continued
to elude the nation.

“Almost seven years now, Niger East Senatorial District has come
under constant and sustained multiple deadly attacks by heartless,
venomous and hydra-headed Boko Haram terrorists.

“About 42 communities across the two local government areas of
Shiroro and Munya Local Governments have so far fallen under Boko
Haram control, with about 5,000 villagers already displaced in the
last three days.”

Supporting the debate, Sen. Sabi Abdullahi said: “Yet again, we
are here discussing this unfortunate incidence of insecurity in our
country.

“It is indeed with a very heavy heart and a painful voice that I
lend my support to the motion moved by my brother, Sen. Sani
Musa.

“Given whatever suggestions we are going to make by virtue of
the prayers in the motion, my concern is that something drastic has
to be done,” he said.

Also, Sen. Bima Enagi (APC-Niger) said that the situation had
become so bad and so shameful.

“Our women cannot go to markets; our women cannot go to fetch
water from the rivers; our men cannot go to the farms; our children
cannot go to school.

“We all know that we are here today because we had the
opportunity of education. Now, our brothers, our children are being
denied that education.

“We cannot continue to allow Boko Haram to mount flags on
Nigerian territory. What is our army doing,” he asked?

In his remarks, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan said that
what was crucial to the situation was to proffer solutions.

“Our solutions are of course the resolutions, the resolutions
that we passed and then we make some follow ups.

“I don’t think it’s the best of ideas we close the Senate
because there is serious security situation and actually when your
country is challenged that is when you need the parliament to be
alive, not to close.

“And we shall never be deterred, we should not be discouraged by
the discussions that we have here, because this is the essence of
parliament.

“We will follow it up, we will insist that our resolutions are
implemented,” he said.

Lawan further called for a supplementary budget to fund, not
only the recruitment of additional security personnel but also
procurement of weapons.

In the meantime, the Senate has mandated its Committees on
Foreign Affairs and Defence to engage with the Ministers of Foreign
affairs, the National Security Adviser and the Minister of Defence
on the regional implications of developments in neighbouring Chad
republic. (NAN)