Insecurity :Senate to summon security chiefs

By Andrew Oota

The Senate has mandated it’s President, Senator Godswill Akpabio to fix a date for the Security Chiefs to address the upper Legislative chamber on the state of insecurity in Nigeria .

Senate also urged the state Governments and Local Governments to address the issues of poverty in there various areas of jurisdiction .

This came on the heels of a motion of urgent national importance moved by Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua on the kidnaping of university students in Federal University Dutsinma,Katsina state on Wednesday as well as the rising cases of kidnapping for ransom in the North West geopolitical zone.

Senator Yar’Adua in his motion told the Senate that five students of the institution were taken away by gunmen in there hostels in the early hours of Wednesday October 4, 2023.

He expressed concerns that a fortnight ago, 24 students of federal University Gusau were abducted out of which 16 were fortunately successfully freed after three days by security agencies .

According to him,” these kidnaped incidents have thrown the university and academic communities into a panic mood.

He maintained that “eight corps members had been kidnapped by terrorists on their way to camp in Zamfara state on Monday , August 21,2023. The corps members were travelling 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.

“Recalls that the Inspector General of Police Kayode Egberokun 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 .

” Concerned that the frequency of kidnapping for ransom had become almost a daily and weekly occurrence in major towns and communities in the North West geopolitical zone”.

Consequently ,the Senate also commended security agencies for their ongoing efforts in tackling the menace and urged them to be more proactive and ensure these kidnapped students are released without delay.
Senate further called on the military and other security agencies to conduct a special operation to dislodge the bandits in the Northwest zone.

It also urged the security agencies to enhance and coordinate their intelligence sharing and directed the Nigerian Police to ensure that the school protection squad demonstrates a clear commitment to protecting school and provide a safe environment where students and teachers can engage in teaching and learning without the fear of being attacked or kidnapped.

It further directed it’s committee on legislative compliance to ensure the relevant security agencies comply .