The Senate, on Tuesday, rejected an interim report of its ad hoc committee on Southern Kaduna crisis. The lawmakers, who received the report presented by Senator Kabiru Gaya, on the outbreak of violence in Southern Kaduna and other parts of the country, rejected the report based on the need for thoroughness in its findings.
The chairman of the ad hoc committee, Senator Kabiru Gaya, who presented the report, asked the Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir e l-Rufai, to publish previous white paper reports on the Southern Kaduna crisis.
He also alleged that 70 per cent of police officers posted to Southern Kaduna are indigenes of the area, a development he condemned and called on the InspectorGeneral of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris, to correct the imbalance.
His submissions were rejected by the senators, who insisted that the report was not thorough. The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, asked the Senate to reject the report, adding that the committee needed do a thorough job with clear recommendations.
He said that the committee failed to address the main issues as mandated by the Senate.
According to him, the committee failed to address the issue of arms proliferation in the country, which he said, are sometimes tied to herdsmen.
He also stated that the whistle blowing policy should be extended to the security sector to enable Nigerians blow the lid on criminal elements harbouring dangerous arms.
Ekweremadu said: “I consider this issue to be very serious. We must accord it the seriousness it deserves. The committee has confirmed that the killings happened. The recommendations need to reflect more on the seriousness of this matter.
“I understand clearly that the chairman of the committee needs more time to do more work to show the whole world that this Senate is serious about this matter. Looking at the recommendations, they do not reflect the seriousness of the matter like I said.
Senator Barnabas Gemade, who also supported the rejection of the report also faulted the recommendation that special grazing routes be created for herdsmen, adding that the report neglected the plight of farmers.
Gemade said: “Even though, this is an interim report, it is obvious that we ought to have brought this report to a level where we will establish the seriousness of the issue. I believe we have to look at all the issues.
In his ruling on the report, the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, asked the committee to accommodate the issues raised by the senators.
Saraki said: “I think there are many other parts of the country we were hoping the committee will find out the situation there. These areas have not been covered. If it is the view of lawmakers that the report should be sent back and allow the committee to accommodate all the issues, we must do that.
“We need a more detailed recommendation that will address everything.
The committee should address all the issues raised and ensure that they are accommodated.”