Members of Parliament (MoPs) on resumption from the three weeks recess, called for establishment of State Police and effective border control in the bid to put an end to the incessant genocidal killings of Nigerians by yet to be identified killer herdsmen across the Northern region.
Most of the lawmakers who dressed in black attire to mourn the victims of Plateau crises, who stated this during the debate on a motion under matter of urgent public importance titled: ‘Massacre of over 215 persons in Plateau state’, which lasted for over three hours.
Gyang.
In his lead debate, Gwang (PDP-Pleateau) who observed that over “15 villages and communities were destroyed in the well coordinated attacks and mass killings,” urged the House to revisit the constitutional amendment with the view to provide for community policing.
While condemning the killing of innocent Nigerians, he stressed the need for government to fish out the perpetuators of the heinous act and prosecute them.
Gwang who underlined the outrage and condemnation that followed the heinous act by Nigerians and international community including the Secretary General of the United Nations, the US session and the UK House of Lords, frowned at the disposition of the Nigeria’s authorities to the plights of the citizens affected in the troubled areas.
“The House is perturbed that even while the President and Vice President visited Plateau state and gave assurances of security and safety, the attacks and killings persisted and extended to the burning down of not less than five churches all in a bid to provoke a religious crisis.
“The House is further perturbed that virtually all theories of peace building and dialogue have been experimented on the Plateau yet it has neither restrained nor stopped the land grabbing motivated attacks and killings. It is therefore glaring that it’s not the absence of dialogue but the fact that engendering lasting peace will defeat the intendment of the killings which is the land grabbing agenda,” he noted.
In his contribution, Femi Gbajabiamila, Majority Leader called for overhauling of the country’s security architecture just as he expressed support for community policing.
He also urged Federal Government and indeed National Assembly to prioritise the creation of state police like the petroleum industry governance bill (PIGB).
In his contribution, Edward Pwajok (APC-Plateau) stressed the need for identification of the immediate and remote causes of the crises.
In her part, Nnena Ukeje (PDP-Abia), expressed grave concern over the porousness of the Nigeria’s borders and the need to ensure effective regulation of social media activities while urging the main stream media to ensure objective reportage.
Also speaking Nasiru Babale (APC-Kano) urged all the lawmakers to put the interest of the nation first and avoid taking political and ethnic sentiment.
After robust debate on the motion, the House called on President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet to arrest masterminds and perpetuators of the attacks and massacre, as well as conduct a coroner inquest and forensic examination of the weapons and ammunitions used to determine the course of deaths, calibre and source of the weapons used.
The lawmakers also urged Buhari to go behind verbal condemnation of the attacks to taking decisive and practical steps to give effect to section 14(2b) of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
The Lower Chamber also mandated the joint Committees on Army, Air Force, Police, National Security SBD Intelligence and Emergency and Disaster Preparedness to ensure implementation of the resolution and report back to the House within three weeks for further legislative action.
