The House of Representatives Wednesday summoned President Muhammadu Buhari over incessant killings and nationwide insecurity.
Adopting a motion of urgent national importance moved by Terseer Gbillah (Benue State), the House also passed a vote of no confidence in the service chiefs and the security advisers to the president, calling for new ones with fresh ideas.
The lawmakers resolved to suspend sitting for three legislative days to protest against the recurring killings and declare the killer herdsmen as terrorists. Moving the motion, Gbillah expressed worry that Benue State had remained under attack by armed men despite the deployment of security officials to check incessant killings.
“These attacks assumed a new dimension on Tuesday when two Catholic priests, the church catechist and 16 other worshippers were murdered in cold blood at St. Ignatius Catholic mission, in Gwer East Local Government Area. “Several others who attended an early morning funeral near the church are still unaccounted for after reportedly being gunned down by the retreating armed herdsmen.
“The state government had raised the alarm severally to the security agencies, but it is very worrying that they did not take pro-active measures to forestall the attacks.“Let the president provide the House with details of those responsible for the attack in Naka town and the actions to be taken against them.”
He accused the security agencies of usually responding after scores of innocent citizens had lost their lives and property.
Dickson Takhir (Benue) alleged that the killers might have connived with security agencies to perpetrate the act. “It appears there is no moral will to tackle the matter because continuous complaints about the killings seem to fall on deaf ears. The provision of the law allows self-defence and if necessary, our people will do the needful,’’ Takhir said.
Edward Pwajok (Plateau-APC) urged the leadership of the National Assembly to sit with President Buhari to explain the feelings of Nigerians over the killings. “Something drastic has to be done, we don’t only have to be talking always without commensurate results; there is the need to invite the service chiefs to brief the House on efforts to stop the killing,’’ Pwajok said.
Onyemaechi Joan Mrakpor lamented that men, pregnant women and children were being killed everyday and all that mattered to the Nigeria Police was how to arrest Senator Dino Melaye. “How did we get here and how do we get to 2019 if this situation continues? Can we all come to say we want to run when the people that we are representing are being killed daily? The DSS, IG, Army and even the commander-in-chief do not seem to know anything about those responsible for the killing,” she lamented
Aliyu Magaji said the drastic action needed to be taken was to relieve the service chiefs and the inspector general of police of their duties. “The situation has gone beyond sentiments, it is a very terrible thing happening.’’ Nicholas Ossai (Delta-PDP) said if the Federal Government failed to proscribe the killer herdsmen’s group, “then we can sit and do it legislatively.’’
The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Publicity, Abdulrazak Namdas, said the resolution to invite the president was borne out of the belief that some security agencies were not carrying out his instructions appropriately. As the lawmakers expressed anger over the massacre, it was learnt that the killings in Benue continued yesterday as suspected Fulani herdsmen attacked two areas in Guma and Gwer West local councils, killing many residents.