From Jonas Ezieke Abuja
The House of Representatives has resolved to set up an Ad-hoc Committee to probe the utilization of $1bn approved for the Federal Government to fight insurgency in the North-East region of the country by Service Chiefs saying that someone must be held accountable for the recent killing of 118 soldiers at Army base Metele in Borno State.
The House further said that the Army authorities must after due consultations immediately release the names of the fallen soldiers who were attacked an killed in the onslaught by Boko Haram insurgents.
These resolutions were taken after a motion on the killing of 118 soldiers by Boko Haram insurgents sponsored by Hon. Chukwuka Onyema (Anambra,PDP) on the floor of the House.
Debating the motion, Onyema noted that there was a recent attack on Army base in Borno State leading to the killing of 118 soldiers and a commanding officer some Boko Haram insurgents.
He further hinted that no less than 600 soldiers had lost the lives in various insurgency attacks on military bases and formations in the North Eastern part of the country
The lawmaker that there were countless number of attacks on military officers and men by insurgents which in some cases had resulted in fatalities.
He condemned the studied silence of President Muhammad Buhari and the Army authorities kept over the unwarranted assault on the soldiers saying that they were not pardonable.
While calling for investigation into the matter especially utilization of funds on personnel emoluments and procurement of equipments by the Service Chiefs he further informed the House that the Senate had adjourned plenary for a week over the sad incident.
Speaking in support of the motion. Hon. Aminu Shagari said the foremost responsiblity of a governnent is security of lives of its citizens.
While decrying the security situation in most northern states he added that present federal government of Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari had failed to secure the citizens adding he is that he expecting nothing less than total decimation of the insurgents.
Also in their individual contributions Hon. Nnenna Ukeje (Abia, PDP), Hon. Sani Abdu (Bauchi, PDP) and Hon. Gabriel Onyewife (Anambra, APGA) said that the the country cannot afford to be loosing its able bodied citizens for insurgency.
Onyewife had insisted that there would be any free and fair election in Nigeria in the next year’s general elections if the insurgents are still controlling some parts of the country and are hacking down soldiers and civil populace in such huge numbers.
Other lawmakers who also supported the motion notably Hon. EJ Agbonayinma (Edo, APC), Hon Beni Lar (Plateau, PDP) and Aminu Jaji (Zamfara, APC) also said that the utilization of appropriated funds by the security agencies should be called to question.
Consequently, the Speaker Hon. Yakubu Dogara put the motion to a voice vote and the matter was overwhelmingly voted for.
Dogara said that it is disheartening that the insurgency had persisted adding that it is more worrisome because he comes from North-East.
He added that that the House Ad-hoc Committee asked to probe the matter should raise some fundamental questions with a view to finding solution to the challenge.
He said that Nigeria that that is endowed with vast resources ought to ‘ve defeated insurgency long ago as other African countries as Chad, Niger and Cameron.