The Senate Wednesday rose from a six-hour debate on the spike in insecurity in Nigeria with a call on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a national security emergency in the country.
The worrisome security situation in the country also engaged the attention of the House of Representatives, which at plenary Wednesday unanimously demanded the resignation of service chiefs for suboptimal performance.
The House requested the president to sack them if they fail to heed the call to resign.
The lawmaker also promised to enact laws to give legal support to the South-west security initiative, Amotekun, and similar outfits that may be set up by states.
The Senate, which debated the motion titled: “Nigerian Security Challenges: Urgent Need to Restructure, Review and Re-organise the Current Security Architecture,” sponsored by the Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, and 105 others from 11.20 a.m. to 4.25 p.m, also set up a 17-man ad-hoc committee to interface with all the security agencies on the issue and report back in two weeks.
It also summoned the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, to appear before it at plenary on Wednesday next week to discuss the modus operandi of the introduction of community policing in the country.
The President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, in his remarks after the debate, enjoined his colleagues to pray so that the executive could implement the resolutions since it is not compulsory for the presidency to heed the advice.
According to him, “The security of the people is the issue that concerns almost every Nigerian and I think we can do better than just discussing but find solutions to issues at stake. This is not something we can do alone; we must work with the executive to achieve these.
They include Senators Binus Yaroe, Betty Apiafi, Matthew Urhoghide, Abba Moro, Opeyemi Bamidele, Emmanuel Bwacha, Adeola Olamilekan, Elisha Abbo and Rochas Okorocha.
Senator Sani Musa said the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Etuk Ibas-Ette; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, who were all appointed in July 2015, had overstayed their welcome and should be removed forthwith by Buhari.
Other senators like Ibikunle Amosun, Ibrahim Shekarau, Olubunmi Adetunbi, Sandy Nov, Oluremi Tinubu, Tolu Odebiyi and Smart Adeyemi canvassed for the amendment of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to give room for the creation of state police as the current central police system has been overwhelmed by the nation’s security challenges.
Those who opposed the establishment of state police in their submissions include Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Senators Gabriel Suswan, Danjuma Goje, Adamu Aliero and Abubakar Yusuf, citing likely abuses by governors.
PDP Caucus Seeks Buhari’s Resignation
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus in the Senate, however, canvassed for the resignation of Buhari for failing to solve the security problems.
Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who spoke the minds of the 44 PDP senators during the debate, said the president should resign forthwith for his inability to resolve the security problems.
Members of the committee include Senators Abaribe, Sabi Abdullahi, Ali Ndume, Aliyu Wammako, Haliru Jika, Kashim Shettima, Bala Ibn Na’Allah and George Sekibo.
Others are Ibrahim Gobir, Suleiman Kwari, Geisham Bassey, Stella Odua, Ibikunle Amosun, Abba Moro, Yusuf Abubakar and Kabiru Gaya.
Presidency: Abaribe’s Call for Buhari’s Resignation Unjustifiable
But the presidency last night attacked Abaribe, over his call for Buhari’s resignation, describing it as a stray comment.
A statement by presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, which described Abaribe as an armchair critic, said if Buhari had to resign, then Abaribe and millions of other Nigerians would have to also resign.
He accused the fiery senator of lacking the moral right to call for Buhari’s resignation because he aided the escape of the leader of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
House Demands Service Chiefs’ Resignation
At the House of Representatives, there was a unanimous resolution, asking the service chiefs to resign or be sacked by Buhari.
Earlier, while debating a motion on the need to curb the incessant attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents moved by the Chief Whip, Hon. Mohammed Monguno, many of the lawmakers had asked the service chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri to tackle the insurgency.
Gbajabiamila promised that the House would support Amotekun and similar security outfits with legislation, saying the establishment of Amotekun has met with commentary from across the country, both for and against.
He added that lost in these interactions is the fact that Amotekun and other such state or zonal interventions are a desperate response to the vile manifestations of insecurity in the country.
