… Adjourns plenary for election campaigns
The Nigerian Senate has again invited all security chiefs to discuss and proffer solutions to the spate of insecurity rattling the country, next week.
Insecurity was the major issue discussed at the resumed plenary of the Senate on Tuesday. The lawmakers expressed concern over the growing spate of killings, kidnapping and ransom payments, banditry, and other forms of criminality throughout the country, including the nation’s capital.
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The Senate decried cases of kidnapping within Abuja, where victims were killed even after ransom was paid, as well as the killing of two traditional leaders and the kidnapping of school pupils in Ekiti State.
The lawmakers held a minute silence for all citizens who have been killed in the recent attacks.
The Senate had invited the service chiefs in December 2023, following the brutal attack on several communities in Plateau that left hundreds of people dead.
The invited security chiefs include Taoreed Lagbaja, chief of army staff; Hassan Abubakar, chief of air staff; Yusuf Bichi; director-general of the Department of State Services; Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police; Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser, among others.
The invitation on Tuesday was sequel to a motion on the ‘spate of insecurity in Nigeria’, sponsored by Bamidele Opeyemi, the Senate leader, on behalf of the Senate. The motion was introduced after the Senate’s closed-door meeting.
Godswill Akpabio, president of the Senate, decried that kidnapping has become lucrative merchandise, stressing that the planned meeting with the security chiefs was crucial to map out workable solutions.
“We should meet next week, so we can discuss and see how we can tackle this insecurity situation”, Akpabio said.
He said the outcome of the meeting would be tabled before President Bola Tinubu for further action.
Meanwhile, both chambers of the National Assembly have adjourned plenary till Tuesday, February 6, to enable lawmakers partake in the campaigns for upcoming bye-elections across the country.
This is the first plenary of the Senate in 2024, after embarking on a break on December 31, 2024.
“Given the elections in about 36 constituencies coming up on Saturday, both chambers have agreed that we have less than 48 hours to partake in the campaign which will close on Thursday by midnight, and therefore, this Senate stands adjourned to February 6, 2024”, Akpabio said.
