The House of Representatives has urged the Federal to declare state of emergency on security in order to tame the rising tide of insecurity across the country.
It directed the military authorities to henceforth stop the keeping of commuters overnight at a particular period on the Damaturu-Maiduguri Road.
The House also directed the military authorities to allow commuters to proceed on their journeys even after 6:00 pm and establish super camps in Auno.
It mandated the Committees on Defence and Army to ensure compliance and investigate while the military personnel have left the checkpoints.
These resolutions were adopted following a motion of urgent public importance on: “Recent Attack by the Boko Haram Insurgents at Auno Village, Borno State”, sponsored the Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno.
Monguno while presenting the motion said the House noted that Auno Village is situated on the Damaturu-Maiduguri Road, Bomo State.
According to him the House also noted that because of the security challenges in the North-East Zone of the country, commuters on the Damaturu-Maiduguri Road are compelled to suspend their journeys once it is 6:00pm:
Monguno further said the House is: “aware the Auno Village is one of the spots where the Nigeria Army forces instruct the commuters on the Damaturu-Maiduguri road to spend the night before proceeding their journeys the next morning.
“Again aware that on Sunday 9 February, 2020, while commuters in their hundreds were waiting in the Auno Village the Military men left them to their fate or at best abandoned them.
“Disturbed while the commuters were waiting to spend the night, Boko Haram insurgents attacked, kidnapped and burnt some of their Vehicles:
Concerned that the occupants of two Hummer Buses and one Sharon Bus were Kidnapped, 18 vehicles burnt and 30 people killed, including an infant.
“Also concerned that no super military camp exists on the Damanturu-Maiduguri Road, hence exposing the commuters to the danger of being killed, maimed or kidnaped.
“Regret that keeping commuters in waiting in the night is dangerous in view of these security challenges in the North-East Zone on Nigeria”.
Debating on the motion before it was finally adopted, the Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, reiterated the earlier calls by the House that Service Chiefs should be sacked due to incessant killings across the country.
Elumelu argued that: “I still stand by that call that the Service Chiefs have overstayed their leave. Our brothers and sisters who voted us in must be protected. Mr. Speaker, if care is not taken, one day our brothers will match in here and ask us to leave due to what is currently going on in the country.
“We cannot be repeating one thing every time. I still stand by the earlier resolution of the House that the Service Chiefs have overstayed their leave and they must go”, he submitted.
