Security Challenges: Reps Blame Service Chiefs, Want Overhauling Of Security Apparatus

… Lament Spate Of Killings, Attacks Across the Country

The Lower Chamber of the National Assembly, House of Representatives has Blamed the spate increase in killings, kidnapping and armed banditry attacks across Nigeria

The Lawmakers who called for the change of the service chiefs which is long overdue lamented the way and manner the security agencies were handling the banditry situation, says it’s unfortunate as they also constitute a hardship to the communities as a result of extortion.

The House also expressed concern that people are being kidnapped and harassed unabated by criminals and that the security agents seem not to have a clue on how to contain them.

The Federal Legislators made this public during Tuesday plenary on a motion moved by Rep. Sada Soli ( APC Katsina ) on the need for the relevant security agencies to bring to an end the spate of increase in killings, kidnapping and armed banditry attacks across Nigeria and it was seconded by Rep. Obinna Chidoka.

Rep. Soli in leading the debate stated that the security situation in some parts of the country has degenerated, while criminal activities have become a daily occurrence in many states of the country.

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He called for a more sustained tempo on security interventions to keep such criminals at bay. He stated that the unabated nature of these attacks has made the insecurity situation alarming.

Rep. Soli further stated that the Northwest and North-central parts of Nigeria may face food shortage as farmers are afraid of going to their farms now, this he stated would be even more devastating considering the effect the coronavirus pandemic has already inflicted on the resources of Nigerians.

He called on the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), the Inspector General of Police (IGP) as well as the Director-General (DG) of the Department of State Services (DSS) to continue to brief the House monthly on steps being made and effected to decisively tackle the situation until normalcy is restored.

In his contribution to the debate Rep. Muhammad Bargaja stated that the last couple of days in the Northwestern part of Nigeria has been destructive with incidents of killings, kidnappings, armed banditry and cattle rustling being a daily occurrence.

Rep. Obinna Chidoka in his contribution also expressed concern over such inhuman events in the country, stating that insecurity would drive out people from their communities and make them vulnerable to more hazards when they are forced to move. Rep. Chidoka called for the positive harnessing of the human resources of the teeming youth so that they can be positively applied, instead of being active participants in crime and criminality.

Rep. Lynda Ikpeazu commended the mover of the motion as well as Rep. Bargaja for keeping such issues in the form of engagement. She described as unfortunate the insecurity the Nigerian masses have to endure.

Rep. Ikpeazu called on leaders on all fronts of government to continue to do more for the safety of Nigerians.

Speaking on the motion, Rep. Dennis Amadi called for the positive engagement of the teeming youth of the country as their frustration seems to be akin to a keg of gunpowder that can explode at any time.

Rep. Amadi expressed frustration at the way youth with ideas cannot get capital for business unless they possess huge collateral or influential relations, showing a case of dire hopelessness for normal ingenious intellectuals or proposed entrepreneurs.

Rep. Omowumi Olubunmi in her view asked those saddled with securing the nation to be more proactive in discharging their duties. She called on the leadership of the House to interface with the security agencies as the spate of insecurity lately has become unbearable.

Rep. Bamidele Salam wondered why it seems the police who should be the ones maintaining national peace have been overwhelmed.

He called on the principal actors in the Executive arm of government to change tactics in dealing with the criminals, as the normal way seems not to be working.

Rep. Babajimi Benson stated that the military might not quell the effects of economic problems, he stated that the economic issues should be effectively tackled.

The Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila stated that there is poverty all over the world, so financial lack is not an excuse for criminality, and that the armed forces have a role of suppressing internal aggression.

The Deputy Speaker, Rep. Ahmed Idris Wase expressed profound sadness at the rising state of criminality. He wondered why the security agencies which have huge funds appropriated to them cannot effectively bring the problem of criminality and insurgency to a halt.

He stated that there seems to be no synergy between the different security agencies, as well as between the security agencies and the communities in which they operate.

Rep. Wase called for the implementation of drastic measures to tackle insurgency as those at the head of security who should be saddled with national security seem not to be doing their job. He called for the briefing of the House by the heads of the security forces why the problem seems unsolvable.

Rep. Muntari Mohammed rose to lament how people are being kidnapped and harassed unabated by criminals and that the security agents seem not to have a clue on how to contain them.

Rep. Robert London called for a drastic overhaul of the Nigerian security machinery as it has become highly ineffective.

Contributing, Rep. Kazaure Gudaji called on the government to show the same seriousness attached to battling the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the administration of the social safety nets should be attached to combatting the problem of insecurity.

Rep. Isiaka Ayokunle called for a national peace conference between all stakeholders to ensure peace is attained While Rep. Ademorin Kuye called for the House to give sufficient effect to Section 217 of the Nigerian constitution, this he said is a mandate explicitly spelled out and enshrined in Section 219 of the constitution.

The Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila called on Chairmen of the relevant House Committees on Security matters to code the take-aways of the robust debate into legislative forms and implored them to ensure all the contributions showcasing lapses in the relevant sections of the Acts regulating the security agencies are effectively amended for proactive implementation.

The motion was voted on, adopted and referred to the relevant committees of the House who are to work on it and get back to the House for further legislative action.