Insecurity: Reps talk tough

THERE was outrage on the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday over insecurity in the country, with Monday night’s attack on a Kaduna-bound passenger train as the most recent instance. 

A motion of urgent public importance on the attack moved by the member representing Birnin Gwari/ Giwa federal constituency, Honourable Shehu Balarabe, had set the tone for a robust session as lawmakers took turns to express their displeasure at the inability of the various security agencies to check the various killings and attacks on Nigerians by terrorists and other criminal elements in the country. 

Presenting the motion, Balarabe reported that between March 24 and 28, bandits invaded Birnin Gwari/ Giwa federal constituency, killed scores of people, raped women, destroyed property worth millions of naira and left many displaced. 

He said, “The entire communities in Giwa Local Government Area and the entire communities of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State have been ravaged with series of recent attacks by bandits who indulge in killings, kidnapping, raping, robbery and destruction of properties. 

“Between 24th and 28th of March, over 117 people were killed and some corpses are still yet to be recovered; more than 136 people were abducted and over 10,463 people were displaced from their homes. 

“Over 250 houses were burnt, countless cows, goats and other livestock were stolen. Several properties worth millions of naira were destroyed, including vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, grinding machines and many other households belongings.” 

He prayed the House to urge the Federal Government to direct the Inspector-General of Police and the Chief of Army Staff to deploy special forces in Birnin Gwari and Giwa local government areas to combat the bandits terrorising the people. 

The lawmaker also urged the Federal Government to set up camps for internally displaced persons and provide relief materials to give succour to the victims of the attack. 

An outpouring of emotions over the state of security in the nation followed when the deputy speaker, Honourable Idris Wase, who presided over the plenary, put up Balarabe’s motion for debate. 

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Some of the lawmakers who had become visibly furious called for the removal of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, and the suspension of funds to security agencies for failing to live up to their responsibilities. 

Honourable Nasiru Ahmed specifically called for the resignation of Monguno as NSA, saying that he had served for seven years without results in the war against insecurity. Ahmed said: “The Army, Navy, Police, DSS all of these agencies are accountable to the National Security Adviser. From what I heard, most of these criminals were 16, 18-year-old boys. Are we saying that despite all the local and international training the Nigerian Army, police, DSS, Airforce have gone for, 18-year-old boys are more powerful than they?” 

Another lawmaker, Honourable Aminu Suleiman, said the security situation in the country had gone beyond the control of the security agencies and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to take responsibility. 

Aminu said: “The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces must take responsibility and we have powers to ensure that Mr President takes responsibility, otherwise it will be difficult for us to go back and speak to our people. We must do something serious, otherwise when the revolution starts, innocent people may be the victims.” 

Honourable Ahmadu Jaha said insecurity had become a cash cow, a lucrative business, hence the lackadaisical approach to stemming its tide. In his contribution, Honourable Dachung Bagos called for a suspension of funds appropriated for security agencies until they account for what had been released to them over the years. 

Majority Leader, Honourable Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, asked that Nigerians should be allowed to take up arms and defend themselves because it appeared the security agencies had failed in their task of defending the people. 

According to him: “With all sense of responsibility, I think Nigerians should be allowed to also take arms; Nigerians must be allowed to take up arms in defence of their innocent souls and defend their hard-earned properties because it is like a monumental failure. If the agencies of security have failed, then Nigerians should not be seen as failures. 

“Let Nigerians organise themselves in the way of civil defence. Let us organise defence for our innocent souls because if the responsibility of the government cannot be carried out democratically, then everyone has the cause to defend himself.” 

Pointing to the tense proceedings, Wase subsequently called for adjournment of the session. He said the adjournment of plenary and suspension of all legislative activities for the day was in solidarity with lives lost to frightening insecurity in the country, especially the recent attack of the Kaduna-bound train, which left several people killed and others abducted. 

The deputy speaker subsequently mandated the relevant security committees of the House to step up their oversight functions as well as conclude reports of their investigations, while cautioning against an emotional approach to the issue. 

Ahmed-Wase said, “I want to beg us not to be too emotional. We requested for change of service chiefs but what has changed? Go back to the judiciary, among all the people that have been arrested, how many prosecutions have we got? 

“A lot is wrong in the country and I will urge us not to be conclusive. We will do our legislation and if anyone is found wanting, we will not spare such people. But I don’t want us to go into a blame game. 

“In a few days, we have lost over 150 people in one location. We should observe a minute of silence. It is my utmost opinion that a lot needs to be done to ensure that it doesn’t happen again. We should offer special prayer.”