Fred Itua, Abuja
The Senate has urged the Chief of Army Staff to re-establish a military command base in Garkida, Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa State, and all major settlements bordering Sambisa forest to curtail the activities of insurgents.
The resolution was sequel to a motion moved by Sen. Aishatu Dahiru (APC-Adamawa) on Tuesday during plenary.
On February 21, an insurgent group attacked Garkida, a peaceful town in Gombi, Adamawa Central Senatorial District.
The upper chamber als o called on the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to immediately embark on rehabilitation of public and religious institutions destroyed in the attack and provide assistance to other individuals affected.
Moving the motion, Dahiru said that the insurgents, in over seven gun trucks and many motorcycles, attacked the town at about 7pm, setting many buildings ablaze.
She said property worth millions of naira was burnt or destroyed, including a public hospital, schools, telecommunication facilities, police station and buses, among others.
She stated the urgent need to take more drastic action in the face of such affront on national security, the region and indeed the entire nation, as it was long overdue.
Dahiru said, in view of the enormity of the situation, the Federal Government needed to put more innovative measures in place to frontally confront these challenges.
Seconding the motion, Sen. Yaroe Binos (PDP-Adamawa) raised concerns that the attacks appeared to be unending.
“Few days ago, this Senate dedicated a whole day to debate the issue of insecurity in this country and as a result an ad hoc committee was set up.
“It is important for us that drastic action is taken to bring these attacks to an end. It is important that the issue of security be addressed frontally because it appears to be getting out of hand,” he said.
In his remarks, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, said the Senate might consider the report of the ad hoc committee on security challenges with a view to finding solutions to Nigeria’s security problems next week.
The Senate, on January 29, set up the committee, chaired by Senate Leader Yahaya Abdullahi, to interface with security agencies on the state of insecurity in Nigeria and report back within two weeks.
According to Lawan, the Senate would engage the executive arm of government on the resolutions of the ad hoc committee as contained in its report.
He added that the Upper Chamber would also work closely with the House of Representatives and citizens towards ensuring that solutions are found to the country’s security challenges.
“The Senate discussed and debated so much on the insecurity in the country and set up an ad hoc committee, under the leadership of the Senate Leader. The committee is working very hard, we are trying to look for solutions to the insecurity bedevilling the country. We are not going to rest on our oars until we are able to provide solutions. This is the essence of our being in government. Of course, it will require that we work with the House of Representatives and the executive, as well as the citizens, because I believe that the citizens have to be taken into confidence in the fight against insecurity.
“So, we will not waste any time, as soon as the report is ready, I believe by next week, probably, the report will be ready. We are going to look at the report of the ad hoc committee and take those important and very viable resolutions, and engage with the executive arm of government.
“I think we are on the same page with the executive, everybody is worried, and we will do whatever it takes; and I normally say, if we have to invest so much money, so be it, because there’s nothing more important than life, even infrastructure. Life is more important than anything, so we need to protect the lives of Nigerians who have sent us here,” Lawan said