Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, warned yesterday that history will pass a damning verdict on the current administration if it fails to stop the senseless killings in the country.
He observed that Nigerians are fast losing confidence in the country’s security system.
Dogara noted that History would be harsh on the current administration should government fail to stop the incessant killings and other security challenges facing the country.
In his welcome address to his colleagues as they resumed for the 4th session of the 8th Assembly yesterday, the Speaker noted that the unresolved issue of rampant killing of defenceless people, including innocent and vulnerable children and women, in various parts of the country calls for a sober reflection.
The Speaker argued that whatever achievement that is being recorded by the government will not be remembered if the orgy of violence and mass killings of innocent Nigerians continue unabated.
He said, “History will have a harsh verdict for us as a Government if we fail to live up to this responsibility and it won’t matter if we succeed in other areas. Unfortunately, the stark reality now is that our citizens are fast losing confidence in our security system.
“This must not be the case. Before we ebb to the realm of anarchy, we must rise up as true representatives of the Nigerian people to salvage the situation and defend our hard-won democracy.”
He promised that the National Assembly will make concerted efforts to exploit all constitutional powers and privileges to guarantee the protection of lives and property in the entire country by security agencies.
Dogara regretted that security agencies have fallen short of expectation.
His words: “It is obvious that with the unrestrained killings being witnessed in the country, our security agencies have fallen short of the demands of their offices and the expectations of the nation. We must urgently work with the Executive Arm to facilitate the re-engineering of our security architecture to serve our collective interests and aspirations.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that the most fundamental and basic responsibility of any government is the security of lives and property. History will have a harsh verdict for us as a Government if we fail to live up to this responsibility and it won’t matter if we succeed in other areas.
“Unfortunately, the stark reality now is that our citizens are fast losing confidence in our security system. This must not be the case. Before we ebb to the realm of anarchy, we must rise up as true representatives of the Nigerian people to salvage the situation and defend our hard-won democracy”.
The House yesterday demanded forensic examination of weapons and ammunition used in the recent killings on the Plateau so as to determine the source of the weapons.
It resolved that the member representing Wase federal constituency of Plateau state, Hon Idris Ahmed Wase, who admitted to having vital information on the Plateau killings, should be a state witness and that special protection should be provided for him.
The member representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom federal constituency of Plateau State, Hon Istifanus Gyang, had in a motion of urgent national importance said no fewer than 215 persons were killed by herdsmen in the recent coordinated attacks on 15 villages and communities in the state.
Gyang expressed concern that an analysis of previous killer herdsmen attacks had shown that they are usually guerilla in nature, using sophisticated arms and machetes.
According to him, the attacks have a pattern where once a community is attacked it is cleansed by killing the native inhabitants, the houses burnt and destroyed and the vacated land taken over for occupation.
Gyang noted that the ‘killer herdsmen’ are currently occupying about 53 villages forcefully taken.
Sequel to Gyang’s motion, the House described the Plateau killings as genocide and vowed that the perpetrators and masterminds would be arrested and prosecuted.
The lawmakers also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to, beyond verbal condemnation of the attacks, take decisive action to stop the killings and secure communities that have been under persistent attacks.
The House also urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to immediately provide relief materials to those displaced by the attacks in order to avert a humanitarian crisis.
The member representing Yagba East/Yagba West/Mopa-muro federal constituency of Kogi state, Hon Sunday Karimi, in his contribution, said although Section 14(2b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) state that welfare and security of the citizens are the primary objectives of the government, President Muhammadu Buhari has not done much to improve security in the country.
He noted that during the President’s visit to United States of America (USA) recently, he blamed the endless killings in Benue State on gunmen from Libya.
The lawmaker argued that even if those unleashing mayhem on communities across the country are from outside, it is not enough for the government not to take decisive steps to stem the tide.
“The President has failed in his constitutional duty to provide security to the people. He has no solution; he is confused. He does not know what to do about it. We have a choice to remain as we were or stop the thing that is going on in the country,” Karimi stated.
In his contribution, the member representing Jos South/East of Plateau state, Hon Edward Pwajok, said it is curious that an attack occurred simultaneously across 11 villages in Plateau State for seven hours without any response from the security agencies stationed in different parts of the state.
Pwajok noted that it is worrisome that the killings in Plateau has continued even after President Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo visited the state in the wake of the gruesome murder of 215 persons
