The Senate on Thursday, October 5, summoned Service Chiefs in the country to brief it in a closed door on steps being taken to mitigate rising insecurity in the country.
The Service Chiefs include: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-General Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, and Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla.
It called on the military and other security agencies to conduct special operations to dislodge the bandits in the Northwest zone and other parts of Nigeria with similar experience.
The red chamber also urged the various security agencies in Nigeria to be more proactive and to ensure that all kidnapped victims in the country including students kidnapped in Katsina, NYSC members kidnapped in Zamfara and students kidnapped from Federal University Gusau, among others, are all released without delay.
It urged the federal government to address the manpower needs of the police and other security agencies to enable them tackle the security situations in the country.
The Senate also called on the federal government to urgently address unemployment and poverty in the country which it described twin evils fueling insecurity in the country.
It directed the Nigeria Police to ensure that the school protection squad demonstrates a clear commitment to protecting school children and provide a safe environment where students and teachers can engage in teaching and learning without the fear of being attacked or kidnapped.
The Senate further directed its Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure the relevant security agencies comply with its resolutions.
These resolutions of the Senate followed its consideration of a motion titled: “Kidnapping of University students in Federal University Dutsinma, Katsina State on Wednesday October 4th 2023 and the rising cases of kidnapping for ransom in the Northwest Geopolitical zone.”
The motion was moved by Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua (APC, Katsina Central).
Yar’Adua in his lead debate said the Senate notes with serious concern the kidnap of five female students of the Federal University Dutsinma (FUDMA) in Katsina State by gunmen from their hostel rooms in the early hours of Wednesday, October 4.
He said the Senate also motes also that a fortnight ago, 24 school students of Federal University of Gusau were also abducted, Fortunately, 16 of them were successfully freed 3 days later during the rescue conducted by security agencies.
He said the Red Chamber is worried that “these kidnap incidents have thrown the University and academic communities into a panic mood.”
He said the Senate is also aware that eight Corps members had been kidnapped by suspected terrorists on their way to camp in Zamfara State on Monday, August 21, 2023.
He stated,
“The corps members were traveling in an Akwa Ibom Transport Company (AKTC) bus from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, to Sokoto State, for the one-year mandatory national service, when their vehicle was intercepted by the terrorists.”
He said the Senate recalls that the Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun when appointed in June 2023 amongst his first set of action plans was the creation of the school protection squad, “an initiative aimed at enhancing the safety of schools and children.”
He quoted the Public Relations Officers of the Nigeria Police, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Olumuyiwa Adejobi to have said;
“The squad will be equipped with relevant assets and advanced training to effectively respond to security challenges facing educational institutions across the country.”
He insisted that the Red Chamber is concerned that the frequency of kidnapping for ransom has become almost a daily and weekly occurrence in major towns and communities in the North West geopolitical zone.
Senators Kaka Shehu Lawan (APC, Borno Central), Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan (APC, Yobe North), Solomon Adeola (APC, Ogun West), Alhaji Sahabi Yau (APC, Zamfara ) and Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi) supported the motion.
Senators voted to approve the prayers of the motion when they were put to voice vote by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
