Senators back Soyinka, say insecurity in Nigeria beyond FG

Some Senators on Tuesday passed a damning verdict on the Federal Government’s handling of the security challenges facing the nation and submitted that the situation was beyond its capacity.

Nobel Laureate, Professor Soyinka at the weekend had called for an urgent national discourse to map out a plan to contain the scary state of insecurity as he noted that the All Progressives Congress-led administration under President Muhammadu Buhari was already overwhelmed.

Senator Ayo Akinyelure (Ondo Central) had moved a motion, “Insecurity in Nigeria and Gruesome Killing of Funke Olakunrin.”

The late Mrs Olakunrin, daughter of Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, was murdered last Friday along Ore-Shagamu Expressway.

Senators  Nicholas Tofowomo (Ondo South)  and Tolu Odeniyi (APC Ogun West) in their individual contributions said there was nothing assuring from the federal government to convince Nigerians that it was on top of insecurity challenge.

Senator Tofowomo said the Buhari administration has lost touch with its Next Level mantra.

ALSO READ: Funke Olakunrin: Ethnic groups may result to self-help ― Alaafin

He said there was nothing so far to show that the ruling APC  was serious about making an impact on the lives of Nigerians in line with its Next Level mantra.

His words: ” It is obvious that our internal security is in shambles. It is nothing to write home about. They have not even started anything at all. We don’t have any internal security.

“So we cannot even be talking of Next Level. We need a robust conference on our security arrangement in this country. Because now we are talking of a person that was killed on Friday. What about those people that we don’t even know?

“We cannot be coming here and be complaining and be passing the buck to the Federal Government. It is beyond the Federal Government. All of us must cry out. And we must all sit down together and address this issue so that an average Nigerian can be guaranteed of his or her safety.”

Senator Tolu Odebiyi (Ogun West)  who spoke in the same vein called on the leadership of the Senate to seek an audience with the Presidency and extract a genuine commitment towards halting the killings of Nigerians across the country.

Senator Odebiyi declared that the negative news from  Nigeria on daily killings by bandits was a serious disincentive to investment flow.

He said: ” We have to demand action by security forces. We have to demand action by the Presidency. We need to stand up and find a solution to this problem.

“There is nothing that we do here that appeals if we don’t get our security situation right in this country.

“Only last week, we discussed here the issue of Continental Free Trade Agreement and to my surprise, Ghana has now been made the headquarters of the agreement.

” This is a major loss for this country. Economically, it has a major impact and these are the implications when you don’t get your security situation right.

“We cannot watch everyday coming here, mourning, grieving, having one minute of silence as innocent Nigerians are being killed and no action is taking.”

Senator Robert Ajayi Borofice who incidentally represents Ondo North cautioned against ethnic profiling of the daily occurrence of kidnapping and banditry on our highways. She described the murder of Mrs Olakunrin as not a targeted occurrence by herdsmen but a chance occurrence.

He said:” What has happened is not a targeted killing, it is a chance occurrence that could happen to any of us. All we have done is to heighten the insecurity.

“What I will not like to subscribe is that this has been perpetrated by a certain group. From the various reports we have received in this chamber, Ibos have been killed, Yoruba have been killed, Hausa have been killed and Fulani has been killed. So we must not succumb to the insinuation that what is happening is being perpetrated by a particular ethnic group. About two weeks ago there was a kidnapping in the creeks of the riverine area of Ondo State.

” The perpetrators were arrested and were found to be an indigene of the State. So,   I want to plead that we approach this with maturity. We should urge the security agencies to find a lasting solution to this problem. The vice president when he visited Ondo State suggested the establishment of community policing which I think would help in minimizing the menace of kidnapping, and this killing. I am sure we would all agree that those who are involved if they have good jobs if they have meaningful means of employment they may not be involved in these nefarious activities. The government also have to address the problem of employment which is a major issue in this issue. ”

President of the Senate who equally decried the security challenge disclosed that the National Assembly would host a National Security meeting with relevant stakeholders to arrest the rising rate of insecurity across the country.

“We should have a  robust national summit on the security situation of this country. Instead of taking more time in this we go through the prayers and try to organize the National Summit in security to address the situation.”

ALSO READ: Funke Olakunrin: Ethnic groups may result to self-help ― Alaafin

“Let me once again mention that the security situation of this country is perverse and every part of the country has a  story or another to tell of the situation,

“So it will  be the duty of this Senate to hold an all-encompassing and all-inclusive National Summit on Security  including the third arm of the government of course because we have to work together with them to address this situation,  therefore the different and various interventions alluded today will be taken into consideration.”

The Senate resolved to draw the attention of the Federal government to the continued rising of insecurity and tension in different parts of the nation and the apprehension of the citizens over the incessant armed attacks on the major highways with many lives lost in several attacks.

It also unequivocally condemned the gruesome murder of Mrs Funke Olakunrin by the unknown gunmen and commiserated with the family of the nonagenarian and elder statesman,  Pa Reuben Fasonrati on the loss of his daughter in the unfortunate gun attack.

The upper legislative house further “called on the Inspector General of Police, Service Chiefs, Director General,  DSS  to urgently extend their  dragnet to apprehend the culprit in the killing of Mrs Olakunrin and other cases of attacks and kidnappings and bring them to justice.”

The Senate also called on the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA)  to accelerate action in maintaining potholes in Federal Highways where most of the perpetrators of the evil acts of kidnapping always hide to kill at will.

Another resolution was an appeal to state governors and local government chairmen to cooperate and collaborate with needed logistics in their respective states and local government in this respect and direct the Budget Office and the Senate committees on Appropriation and Defence to ensure that necessary funds were allocated in the 2020 Appropriation Bill for the operations of plying patrols of the Armed Forces and other security agencies.