The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday debated the security situation in the country, after which, it set up an ad-hoc committee that is expected to quiz the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, and report back in two weeks.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign over the failure of his government to tackle the security challenges confronting the country.
The moment Senator Abaribe called for President Buhari's 'head' pic.twitter.com/5lNtrV9rBa
— Ediri Oyibo (@oyiboediri) January 29, 2020
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It was after Senator Abdullahi Yahaya raised a motion on an urgent need to restructure, review and reorganize the current security architecture to address the nation’s security challenges that all hell broke loose on the floor of the Senate and the debate ensued
“The hard work that was supposed to be done in Nigeria is not done. We will ask this government to resign because it can no longer do anything in the country.”- Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.
“If we do not approach this debate with a level of responsibility that it demands we shall be doing more harm than good to this issue of national security.”- Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
“The security architecture is over stretched and not as effective as it is. I think there is a consensus, we should be looking into the direction of community policing in Nigeria but we are not so sure of what the structure and component will be like.”- Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.
“On the issue of state police, our constitution places security on the exclusive list. In this position, we have to amend the various sections of the constitution. If we do not do that, we are putting the cart before the horse. It is true that Nigerian Police is overwhelmed so we need to recruit close to about one million officers. This is the way out. The solution now is to pass the police reform bill so funds can be made available for policing of this country.”- Senator Adamu Aliero.
“We should go back to God as a country and say we are sorry. We should confess our sins and ask God to forgive us and help us. Let us review our security infrastructure to determine if it is competent enough. We should amend the constitution and stand by state police.”- Senator George Sekibo.
“Each and every state should be allowed to have their own police. We can have federal police as well as we have state police. What we stand to benefit by having governors to be in charge of their security is far more. For everyday security, we need to have our state police to be in place. We need to do something about our porous borders.”- Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
“The business and political class uses police. we must agree that we should not personalize the use of police. Until we define the uses of police, we will continue to have this problem.”- Senator Yusuf Yusuf.
“There is no coordination among security agencies in Nigeria. The NSA advises the President on security and should be able to coordinate the security agencies.”- Senator Matthew Urhoghide.
“I have seen what insecurity has meted out to Nigerians and the vulnerable group in particular-women and children. State policing: if we want to go there, we should allow states that are ready. If we really want to tackle our insecurity correctly, we should look at state police. I believe in you Senate President to do it this time.”- Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
“I am against state police because it is going to create more problems. the issue of unemployment in this country must be tackled.”- Senator Danjuma Goje.
“The issue of security cannot be taken in isolation. I support the need to consider a security architecture that is home grown.”- Senator Tolu Odebiyi.
“There is no need trying to trade blame. Let us not pretend, how we handle this matter is what will determine the content and character of our souls. There is need to restructure our security architecture. Legislative intervention is what we need. State police is not compulsory for every state, those who do not want it do not have to panic. Our people also feel our service chiefs have stayed for too long.”- Senator Bamidele Opeyemi.
“We must treat this issue with genuine open heart.”- Senator Emmanuel Bwacha.
“Let us declare state of emergency now on Security. We need to secure our people and guarantee them of their safety.”- Senator Sam Egwu.
“The reality is that our attitude as individuals too contribute to what is happening today. Most of the people entrusted to providing security know what they can do to provide such service. There is International conspiracy because my people have seen it. Most of the motorcycles they are using are uniform, they are the same. Our people are being attacked by the same conspiracy of the security forces that should protect them. If we are talking about security architecture, why are the service chiefs still in office? In a descent society they are supposed to resign. I think there would be need to set up a ad-hoc Committee of the Senate to interface with all these security agencies to bring out the facts.”- Senator Sani Musa.
“It is time for the Service Chiefs to go. The President needs fresh ideas to tackle the insecurity in the nation. We are calling for immediate legislative intervention for the creation of state police. The creation of state police will take care of little security outfits that have been set up. It will also lead to generation of employment.”- Senator Solomon Adeola.
“We must use technology in securing our nation.”- Senator Ajayi Boroffice.
“Enough trackers should be bought and distributed to contain kidnappings. As far as I am concerned, the current IGP has the capacity, the only problem is funding and if we give him more money he will do better.”- Senator Theodore Orji.
“The service chiefs have done their best and I think they have run out of ideas. President Muhammadu Buhari needs to restructure the security apparatus. President Buhari should look inward and it is time to bring new ideas to help this country.”- Senator Elisha Abbo.
“Anybody who wants state police should be allowed to establish it, that is the beauty of federalism. There are foreign countries exploiting the troubles in this country. That is the business of intelligence and we should look at addressing that.”- Senator Chukwuka Utazi.
“Nigeria is at war, let nobody be deceived. We can no longer play ostrich and pretend that nothing is happening. There is social tension in the country and there is no elite consensus on the problems of this country because of ethnicity. There is a delegitimization of the Nigerian state by violent non state actors . We are facing crisis and the time to hold on to it is now.”- Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi.
Following the debate, the Senate then resolved to urge Mr. President C-in-C to declare a national security emergency; and set up an ad-hoc Committee to engage the security agencies and report to the Senate; and engage the national security adviser on the implementation modalities of the December, 2019 national security strategies.
The ad-hoc committee is also expected to engage the national security institution to discuss their operational structures, funding, equipment and staff is position with a view to reviewing the national security architecture to make it more responsive in tackling the myriad security challenges facing the nation and the people.
The Committee will hitherto produce a draft implementation modality/blueprint on the ways and means of tackling the current security challenges for the consideration of the Senate; and also invite the Inspector General of Police to appear before the plenary and brief the Senate on the concept and the practical implementation of state policing and policies on Wednesday 5th February, 2020.
“Let me congratulate all of us for all our contributions. The security of our people is the issue that concerns every Nigerian and there is nothing that we can do better than finding the solutions. We have come to a point that the legislature will have to intervene to give legislative support. The ad-hoc committee members will be charged assiduously to finish their work in two weeks. I want to commend all for being able to discuss the issue amongst ourselves. I congratulate all of us,” Senate President, Ahmad Lawan said afterwards.