Killings: Senate reinvites IG, summons NSA, service chiefs

Members of the Senate raised various security issues at
the plenary on Tuesday, making the lawmakers to resolve that heads
of all security agencies in the country be summoned to explain the
reasons for the proliferation of arms in Nigeria.

The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, also announced that
the chamber had given the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim
Idris, another invitation to appear before the lawmakers at the
plenary on Wednesday (today), which will be broadcast live on the
Nigerian Television Authority.

Senator Chukwuka Utazi (PDP, Enugu-North) raised a point of
order to inform the Senate about the bombing of the home of the
President-General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo.

Nwodo’s house at Ukehe, in the Igboetiti Local Government Area
of Enugu State, was on April 29 attacked with an improvised
explosive device, which destroyed parts of the building.

Utazi urged the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police
Affairs, Senator Bukar Ibrahim, to engage with the police to
unravel the circumstances surrounding the attack “for us to know
this matter has been taken with the seriousness that it
deserves.”

Also, Senator Tijjani Kaura (APC, Zamfara-North) raised a point
of order to lament the rising spate of killings and kidnappings in
Zamfara State.

Saraki, in his remarks on the issue of Zamfara, restated the
need for the IG to address the Senate on the security crises across
the country.

He said, “Again, it is an unfortunate incident in Zamfara, which
is on a daily basis. It is of a great concern to us. We, at the
National Assembly, must play our role to see what we can do to
tackle this insecurity issue.

“It is unfortunate, as we said last time, we expect the IG here.
We have given him again till Wednesday to come here so that we can
truly engage and address these problems. This is the biggest
problem we are facing today in the country.

“We saw what happened in Kaduna State some days ago, and now it
is Zamfara. I’m told that there is a Police Bill we might have to
look at. We will do our best despite the level of lack of
cooperation (from the police boss), but we must play our role and I
can assure you that we would do something to bring a change and
make this country more secure.”

The IG had twice failed to appear before the Senate to explain
the alleged inhuman treatment of Senator Dino Melaye during his
arrest and detention by the police over alleged gunrunning.

The police boss was also asked to brief the lawmakers on efforts
being made to check the spate of killings by armed herdsmen and
militias across the country.

The resolution on Tuesday to summon the security chiefs followed
the adoption of a motion titled, ‘Proliferation of Dangerous
Firearms in Nigeria’ by Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi (APC,
Kaduna-North).

Granting prayers of the motion, the Senate unanimously resolved
to “invite all service chiefs, the Director General, Department of
State Services; the National Security Adviser; the
Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service; and the
Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service for
discussion on the way out of this unfortunate situation.”

Moving the motion, Hunkuyi said the Senate had noted the tribal,
communal, religious and other sectarian clashes, including the
farmers/herdsmen crises which were now more devastating “due to
wrongful and easy acquisition of firearms in violation of due
process as laid down by the enabling laws and regulations.”

Members of the Senate raised various security issues at
the plenary on Tuesday, making the lawmakers to resolve that heads
of all security agencies in the country be summoned to explain the
reasons for the proliferation of arms in Nigeria.

The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, also announced that
the chamber had given the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim
Idris, another invitation to appear before the lawmakers at the
plenary on Wednesday (today), which will be broadcast live on the
Nigerian Television Authority.

Senator Chukwuka Utazi (PDP, Enugu-North) raised a point of
order to inform the Senate about the bombing of the home of the
President-General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo.

Nwodo’s house at Ukehe, in the Igboetiti Local Government Area
of Enugu State, was on April 29 attacked with an improvised
explosive device, which destroyed parts of the building.

Utazi urged the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police
Affairs, Senator Bukar Ibrahim, to engage with the police to
unravel the circumstances surrounding the attack “for us to know
this matter has been taken with the seriousness that it
deserves.”

Also, Senator Tijjani Kaura (APC, Zamfara-North) raised a point
of order to lament the rising spate of killings and kidnappings in
Zamfara State.

Saraki, in his remarks on the issue of Zamfara, restated the
need for the IG to address the Senate on the security crises across
the country.

He said, “Again, it is an unfortunate incident in Zamfara, which
is on a daily basis. It is of a great concern to us. We, at the
National Assembly, must play our role to see what we can do to
tackle this insecurity issue.

“It is unfortunate, as we said last time, we expect the IG here.
We have given him again till Wednesday to come here so that we can
truly engage and address these problems. This is the biggest
problem we are facing today in the country.

“We saw what happened in Kaduna State some days ago, and now it
is Zamfara. I’m told that there is a Police Bill we might have to
look at. We will do our best despite the level of lack of
cooperation (from the police boss), but we must play our role and I
can assure you that we would do something to bring a change and
make this country more secure.”

The IG had twice failed to appear before the Senate to explain
the alleged inhuman treatment of Senator Dino Melaye during his
arrest and detention by the police over alleged gunrunning.

The police boss was also asked to brief the lawmakers on efforts
being made to check the spate of killings by armed herdsmen and
militias across the country.

The resolution on Tuesday to summon the security chiefs followed
the adoption of a motion titled, ‘Proliferation of Dangerous
Firearms in Nigeria’ by Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi (APC,
Kaduna-North).

Granting prayers of the motion, the Senate unanimously resolved
to “invite all service chiefs, the Director General, Department of
State Services; the National Security Adviser; the
Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service; and the
Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service for
discussion on the way out of this unfortunate situation.”

Moving the motion, Hunkuyi said the Senate had noted the tribal,
communal, religious and other sectarian clashes, including the
farmers/herdsmen crises which were now more devastating “due to
wrongful and easy acquisition of firearms in violation of due
process as laid down by the enabling laws and regulations.”