The Nation Newspaper

Tag: service chiefs

  • Metele massacre: Sack service chiefs now

    SOME retired military officers and security experts yesterday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the nation’s service chiefs over Boko Haram’s attack troops in Metele, Borno State.

    In different interviews with our reporters yesterday, the ex-military officers and security experts charged President Buhari to replace the service chiefs with new officers, saying that the country was not getting the desired result in the fight against the insurgents.

    Many officers of the 157 Task Force Battalion were reportedly killed by the deadly sect in the said attack, while several military officers who had gone to evacuate the bodies of their fallen colleagues were also killed in another attack by the insurgents on November 19.

    Early media reports put the casualty figure at about 100, but the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, said that only 23 soldiers were killed in the attack. He also put the number of troops wounded in action at 31.

    A two-time Minister of Science and Technology and former head of the Nigerian War College, Gen. Sam Momah (rtd), said the country has to change its tactics in the conflict against Boko Haram.

    His said: “It is a guerrilla war and it is obvious that we are still using conventional methods to confront it, and that is wrong. It will not work. We have to change.

    “How can you be using fighter jets to fight people who are not all located in one place?

    “Troops have to undergo re-training in countering terrorism. The army has to join them in disguise and destroy them from within.

    “The army have to move in and know who they are, know who their commanders are and know their lines.

    “It is not about fighter planes right now. I’m embarrassed by the current tactics of the army. These are simple tactics that the commander in chief should be aware of.

    “Then you have to depend on the citizens to give you information about them. And to do that, you have to ensure that they the citizens have good roads, basic health care, light, food and water.

    “You have to take care of your citizens so they can assist you to curb terrorism.”

    Asked whether it was time to change the service chiefs, he said: “Surely, it is not out of place for Nigerians to raise their voices and call for the sack of the service chiefs.

    “Calling for their sack depends on the overall variables, which will determine that they should be changed.

    “It is definitely not out of place for service chiefs to be changed if we are not getting expected results.”

    Momoh’s position was also supported by retired Group Captain S.B. Adamu, who feared that the security chiefs are not in tune with what it takes to crush the insurgents.

    He said: “From the look of things, it seems that the people in charge of the security of the country have run out of ideas on how to tackle the issue.

    “It also seems that it might be necessary that the service chiefs step aside so that new hands can be tested.”

    Commodore Abimbola Olaribigbe Ayuba (rtd), also said: “Based on the recent attacks launched by the insurgents after they were thought to have been defeated, it may be in the general interest of the people to replace the current service chiefs with new ones.

    It is about time that such should be done.”

    Brig-Gen Peter Omale (rtd) regretted the manner the officers were massacred by insurgents.

    He noted that the Metele incident has further exposed the weakness of the Nigerian army in war situations.

    Omale advised President Muhammadu Buhari to procure modern war equipment and task the military on intelligence gathering to tackle the menace of Book Haram.

    He said: “Since the attacks by the sect are on the increase, there is the need for the military to change tactics and use maximum force.

    “The war against Book Haram has further exposed the weakness of the Nigeria Army in war situations.

    “Boko Haram has become a big time business where capitalist countries are happy in advancing their trade of arms’ sales.

    “The solution will not be immediate. Moreover, there are moles in the army whose loyalty is divided. Some of the soldiers have one of their legs in the Nigerian Army and one with Boko Haram.”

    A security expert, Hon Dipo Okeyomi, asked President Buhari to sack the service chiefs, adding: “The service chiefs have tried their best for the country and should take the bow at this point.

    “This is the time to bring in new officers who understand the terrain.

    “We need new officers who are familiar with the areas of operation. If we do otherwise, we would never achieve the desired result.

    “Aside from replacing the service chiefs, I will also strongly advise that there should be discipline among security operatives in the country.

    “Security business requires high level of discipline and the earlier we enforce this, the better.”

    Okeyomi further advised the Federal Government to consider involving traditional rulers in security issues because “they know the people and can use their clout to promote peace and fish out undesirable elements in the society.

    “Lastly, citizens should consider playing active role in security issues by providing information to security operatives.

    “The security operatives should also do well to gain the confidence of the people by protecting their identity when they give them useful information.”

    Another security expert, Wilson Esangbedo, who is the Chairman, Lagos Zone of the Association of Licensed Private Practitioners of Nigeria, opined that based on what is happening now, “empirically, the government needs to go back to the drawing board because as the elections are coming, it may be that there could be more attacks.

    “Remember during ex-President Jonathan’s time, before the election, the attack from Boko Haram became vicious and President Jonathan had to postpone the election so as to have more time to deal with the Boko Haram insurgency.

    “When the government announced that the war against Boko Haram had been won, people were happy. But right now, which foreign investor is going to come in when there are killings and attacks?

    “It is not possible.”

    On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of King Davids Security, Dr Davidson Akhimien, said the government should re-strategise to defeat Boko Haram. “And the new strategy should take into consideration all aspects and encompass different strategies.

    “Who is Boko Haram? A rag tag army? If not that corruption has eaten into our system, who is Boko Haram to be compared with our army?

    “We restored peace in Liberia. We restored peace in Sierra Leone. So who is Boko Haram?

    “We should re-organise our army. Let’s get our act together and do the needful.”

  • Buhari, Service chiefs meet over soldiers’ killings

    President Muhammadu Buhari and Service chiefs met yesterday over the recent attacks on and killing of soldiers by Boko Haram insurgents at the 157 Task Force Battalion in Metete, in Borno State community on the Nigeria-Chad border.

    According to Presidency sources, all the Service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police met behind closed doors with the President at the State House in Abuja.

    The President, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, had Saturday expressed deep shock over the killing of troops.

    Shehu said in the statement that the President had taken measures to block the loopholes which led to the fatalities in the November 18 attack.

    It said that the President and his administration remained more committed and focused on the security of military personnel and other citizens.

    The statement reads: “No responsible Commander-in-Chief would rest on his oars or fold his hands to allow terrorists to endanger the lives of its military personnel and other citizens.

    “Our loyal forces have proved their strength over the terrorists and we are ready to give them all the needed support in terms of equipment and manpower to succeed in ending the renewed threat.

    “In the coming days, I am engaging the Military and Intelligence Chiefs in extensive discussions on the next steps we shall be taking.”

    The President pointed out that fighting terrorism has taken a global dimension, which necessitates international collaboration among states facing similar security challenges.

    He reassured Nigerians of his continued commitment to their security and of his efforts to sustain the momentum in the previous significant successes recorded against the terrorists.

    But, he warned Nigerians against making a political capital out of national tragedy, stressing that members of the armed forces are one family who are commonly committed to the security and safety of all.

    The President had at the week ordered dispatched the Defence Minister Brig.-Gen Mansur Dan Ali to go and meet the President of Chad and the country’s Defence Minister on how to tackle insurgency within the borders of the two countries.

  • Boko Haram attacks on troops: Buhari summons service chiefs

    Worried by Boko Haram’s renewed attacks on military bases in the North-East, President Muhammadu Buhari has summoned all the Service Chiefs for a review session.

    The President has also sent the Minister of Defence, Brig-Gen Mansur Dan Ali (rtd), to the neighbouring Republic of Chad for an urgent meeting with President Idris Deby and his defence counterpart.

    It was also learnt that the deterioration in the security situation on the Nigeria-Chad border has led to recent increase in the activities of Boko Haram in the area.

    At press time, the Federal Government was establishing contacts with the families of the victim soldiers.

    Read also: PDP laments, tasks Buhari on Boko Haram killing of Nigerian soldiers

    A reliable source said: “The President has called for an urgent meeting with the Service Chiefs.

    “Also, the families of the latest victims of Boko Haram are being identified and contacts made before a government pronouncement on the tragic attacks.

    “This, it is understood, is the reason for the silence of the government over the incident.”

    One of diplomatic sources in Abuja, who did not want to be named, said: “Nigeria has a Chad problem in the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) put together to secure the Lake Chad basin areas and repel the Boko Haram terrorism attacks against all the countries neighbouring the Lake.

    “Chad is believed to be having its own internal security challenges and these have reportedly led to their pulling away their own troops manning their own border around Lake Chad.

    “That lacuna is being exploited by the Boko Haram terrorists who go in and out of Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon to launch terrorist acts.

    “This is a clear illustration of the fact that terrorism is beyond national borders.”

    When contacted, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said he was “aware that the Defence Minister is going to Chad but unaware of his mission there.”

    A top military source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Most of the attacks were actually coming from Chad flank of the war against the insurgents.

    “The insurgents take advantage of sudden withdrawal of Chadian troops for some assignments without adequate communication.

    “We are however doing our best to address the coordination gaps. We will soon rout out these rampaging insurgents.”

  • Service chiefs didn’t attend Buhari’s Next Level launching, Says Presidency

    The Presidency on Monday night maintained that the Service Chiefs did not attend the launching of the Buhari/Osinbajo Next Level campaign flag off ceremony.

    The flag off of the campaign was done by President Muhammadu Buhari at the old Banquet Hall of the State House on Sunday.

    The camp of the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is the Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had criticized service chiefs attending such political functions.

    But reacting to the media report, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said that the service chiefs left the venue of the launching before the programme started.

    He said “Punch should have asked what brought the Service Chiefs to the “Next Level 2019” event at the State House, only to leave before it got underway.

    “They were mistaken in their assumption that this was a non-political event, to showcase the achievements of the administration, the success of which they are a part.

    “Hardly were they seated than did the Minister of Defence, Brigadier General Mansur Dan AlI (Rtd) ask them to leave as this was a political gathering.

    “They quickly left, even before the arrival of the President and for the event to get under way.

    “The fuss over this in therefore absolutely unnecessary.” he added

  • IYC to FG: Identify, deal with politicians importing arms 

    The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide has urged the Federal Government and Service Chiefs to quickly adopt all necessary measures to stop importation of arms and ammunition for electoral purposes.

    The umbrella body of Ijaw youths said the first step should be to monitor the borders, close all the porous areas to stop the merchants from brining illegal weapons into the country ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    Read Also:2019 is a referendum for Niger Deltans, says IYC

    Reacting to the fears of influx of arms raised by the security chiefs in their recent meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, the Secretary-General, IYC, Alfred Kemepado, said all politicians involve in the dastardly act should be arrested and dealt with no matter their political leanings.

    Kemepado asked the service chiefs to use all the intelligence available to them to find out those sponsoring the importation and deal with them in accordance with the law.

    He said their were possibilities that some security heads knew the importers but chose to collude with them against the state.

    He blamed the culture of deploying illegal weapons in elections on the body language of most governments in power adding that politicians are always in the habit of training and arming thugs without facing the required repercussion.

    He said: “We blame the stockpiling of arms for election culture largely on the body language and policies of most administrations. The thugs in an election don’t fund themselves. They are always funded and armed by the so called political elite.

    “The thugs used for elections are like the proverbial smoke; the real smoke is the elite. Security agencies should expand their intelligence to deal with these so-called political elite no matter how highly placed or which political party they belong, even if they belong to the ruling APC.

    “This cleansing can only be effective if it is done without bias. However, it is also good to involve the civil society organisations to increase advocacy condemning the acts and pointing the dangers and this should be done at communal levels.

    “But let me make bold to say that the chances are very high that security agencies know the importers of these arms, but some are colluding to prosper these crimes against the Nigeria people”.

  • Buhari’s retention of Service Chiefs, IGP has paid off, says group

    A pro-Buhari organisation, Re-elect Buhari Movement (RBM) has commended the foresight of President Muhammadu Buhari in not yielding to calls for the sack of Service Chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police.

    A statement by its convener, Emmanuel Umohinyang, said recent experience has shown that the President digs deep in arriving at decisions on important national affairs, stressing specifically that, “recent successes in the war against terrorism and criminality have shown that the security heads have the capacity to deliver.”

    According to Umohinyang, though Nigeria was still facing some challenges in tackling insecurity, the armed forces and the police have shown that they are on top of the game, judging by recent developments.

    The group boss, therefore, stressed that what the security chiefs needed was the support to forge ahead in carrying out their assignments instead of needless criticisms.

    The statement reads: “Since their appointment, the service chiefs and the IGP have shown character.  They have shown quality leadership, and we have equally seen from the results from the field security wise, especially the decimation of Boko Haram in the Northeast.  We cannot but give them kudos.

    “This could not have happened if the President had not been diligent in selecting these characters, so my take is that generally, the service chiefs have performed, though we still have incidents of attacks here and there.

    “These attacks are unlike what we had in the past.  You can see that for the first time after a long while in our history, we can now hold our Independence parade at Eagles square.”

  • Senate, security chiefs meet on insecurity

    For over four hours on Wednesday the Senate held a high level security briefing attended by heads of security agencies in the country.

    The briefing followed last week’s resolution by the upper chamber to invite security chiefs to brief members on proliferation of dangerous firearms, spate of killings by terrorists and kidnapping by hoodlums across the country.

    The briefing was held behind closed doors apparently due to the sensitive nature of issues under discussion.

    Senator Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara Central) drew the attention of the Senate to “unabating killings in Zamfara State and prayed the lawmakers to take up the issue with relevant authorities.

    Before the briefing on Wednesday, the upper chamber conducted two successive closed door sessions to articulate the issues for discussion.

    At the end of the session, Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, urged the Senate to invite the National Security Adviser,  Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd), Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, Inspector- General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Mohammed Babandede, Director- General of  the Department of State Services, Lawal Daura and Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Hameed Ali, to brief the Senate on the proliferation of dangerous arms, killings by terrorism and kidnapping by hoodlums across the country.

    The Chief of Defence Staff led the DSS DG to the briefing.

    The Comptroller General of Immigration, Comptroller General Customs and the IGP sent representatives to the briefing.

    The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who announced resolutions at the end of the briefing, said the security chiefs were directed to present emergency special budget for the consideration and approval of the National Assembly.

    Saraki said the special budget would be used for special funding of security matters.

     

     

  • Senate summons service chiefs over arms proliferation

    The Senate on Tuesday summoned all Service Chiefs for explanation over proliferation of firearms in the country.
    The upper chamber also mandated its Committee on Intelligence and National Security to conduct thorough investigation into the development to unravel its remote and immediate causes.
    The resolutions were sequel to a motion on “Proliferation of Dangerous Firearms in Nigeria’’ by Sen. Suleiman Hunkuyi (APC-Kaduna) at plenary.
    Hunkuyi said that tribal, communal, religious and other sectarian clashes, including farmers/herdsmen crises were now more devastating.
    “This is due to wrongful and easy acquisition of firearms in violation of due process as laid down by the enabling laws and regulations.
    “This ugly trend has contributed to the colossal loss of lives and wanton destruction of property of Nigerian citizens.”
    He explained that the situation was attributable to inability to control the proliferation of firearms within country.
    “The spate of unrest due to proliferation of firearms has negatively impacted on economic and agricultural activities to the extent that due to fear of attacks, law-abiding citizens fear going to the market and farms.”
    In his contribution, Sen. Shehu Sani (APC-Kaduna) said the rate and frequency at which people were being killed in the country was evident that there were more firearms than there were tractors.
    “The political class are complicit in the proliferation of firearms in Nigeria,” he said, adding that stakeholders must move fast “to rescue the drift”.
    Sani called for a new national political orientation where people should not see politics as a do-or-die affair, but should see it as an opportunity to serve the people.

    Killings: Sack service chiefs now, senators tell Buhari

     On his part, the Leader of the Senate, Sen. Ahmad Lawan, said “the country is bedevilled by so much insecurity.”
    He said that proliferation of illegal firearms was the major reason why there were many killings in the country.
    The leader called on the service chiefs to find lasting solution to the issue.
    In his remarks, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said that the issue of security in the country was number one concern of all Nigerians.
    He decried the rate of killings and the inadequate and poor response by security agencies to address the menace, and calling for concerted effort to check the trend.
    “People are now going about with weapons as if they are accessories,” Saraki said.

  • Herdsmen vs. Service Chiefs

    •We say again: it’s time for the security chiefs to go

    THE criminal gangs striking in all parts of the country with ease kept on killing in Borno, Taraba, Zamfara, Benue and Nasarawa states throughout last week. Just recently, they struck in Dapchi, Yobe State, and it took one month to recover more than 100 girls abducted from a girls secondary school in the town. One of the girls is still in captivity. Yet, some of those seized in Chibok in April 2014 are still being held. Armed robbers have also become more daring. In Offa, Kwara State, they invaded the police station in the town and raided four commercial banks. We ask, what is really going on?

    It is inconceivable that there are policemen deployed all over the country. To boost the capacity of the police, personnel of the armed forces are engaged in various forms of operations nationwide. This is in addition to the Department of State Services (DSS) statutorily saddled with the task of gathering intelligence for the civil and armed forces’ operations.

    Annually, citizens continue to make case for increased funding of the forces, despite the lean resources available for social, economic and political responsibilities of the government. Only recently, the president forwarded a request to the National Assembly for a draw-down of $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account for security. The federal and state governments should realise that the primary constitutional responsibility they swore to provide at inauguration was the security of lives and property. Any government that falls short of this requirement has failed the terms of the social contract that brought them to office.

    President Muhammadu Buhari should remind himself of his electoral promises during the 2014/2015 general elections. The lives of Nigerians are being regularly devalued as the herdsmen move from one state to the other destroying farmers’ means of livelihood, invading schools and displacing schoolchildren, sending families to internally displaced persons’ (IDP) camps and mowing down policemen sent to keep them at bay with very little resistance. These must stop.

    The service chiefs, from the Chief of Defence Staff to the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of Air Staff, as well as the Inspector-General of Police, Director-General of the DSS and the National Security Adviser have failed the nation; they have no right to keep the offices any longer. We find it difficult to understand the rationale behind the extension of the tenures of officers who should have retired a long time ago. Is the President, Commander-in-Chief suggesting that there are no other officers capable of holding the offices?

    There are rules guiding appointments and tenures in the public service. By 2019, if General Abayomi Olonishakin, already a full general, continues in office, he would have served the country for 40 years, contrary to the stipulated maximum of 35 years. His tenure has been extended twice. Both Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, the Chief of Air Staff and Vice admiral Ibok Ete Ekwe, Chief of Naval Staff joined the services in 1979, same year as the Chief of Defence Staff, while the army chief, Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai, was enrolled in 1981. Only the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, still has a year to go, having enlisted in 1984.

    We support the Senate resolution that they all should be allowed to leave. It is shameful that the United States of America had to point out to us last week that there was need for a change of tactics as even the insurgents in the North East have continually changed tactics, thus staying ahead of our security forces. There is the need for reinvigoration of the services, a boost of morale of officers and men and a rekindling of the people’s confidence.

    We urge Nigerians and the non- governmental organisations to join this campaign to improve the capacity of our security forces.

  • Killings: Sack service chiefs now, senators tell Buhari

    Death toll hits 70 in Nasarawa

    Troops kill four suspected herdsmen in Benue

    The Senate yesterday took serious exception to the killings in some parts of the country,  which some members said showed the failure of the service chiefs and heads of other security agencies.

    While some senators demanded the sacking of the service chiefs over the matter; others called for a practical way of tackling the problem.

    The government, they argued, should not shy away from seeking foreign assistance to deal with the problem.

    The debate followed a motion moved by Senator Sulaiman Adokwe (Nasarawa South Senatorial District) on the killings in his constituency by suspected herdsmen.

    In Nasarawa State, the death toll in herdsmen attacks on some Tiv communities was said to have risen to 70 yesterday.

    Also yesterday, the Army said four suspected herdsmen were killed by troops of the 72 Special Forces Battalion at Teguma Local Government Area of Benue State.

    Praying the Senate to initiate action to halt the killing of his constituents, Adokwe said it was obvious that the herdsmen were determined to wipe out his people.

    Those mostly targeted were of Tiv ethnic nationality, he said, adding: “I like to draw the attention of the Senate to the ongoing crisis in the Southern senatorial district of Nasarawa State. Throughout the weekend and up to the moment that I am speaking, herdsmen have unleashed terrorist mayhem on the people of the senatorial district, leaving many dead, numerous persons wounded and thousands of internally displaced persons. Their victims are largely the Tiv speaking ethnic nationalities with a reported death toll of 32 persons and we are still counting.

    “The real tragedy is not in the well co-ordinated and simultaneous  carnage across Awe, Obi, Keana and Doma local government areas of Southern senatorial district but the tragedy lies in the fact that for four days running, this mayhem continues unhindered, unchecked, unstopped by any arm of the law and security enforcement agencies.

    “Indeed, right under the noses of the armed forces and the police, this killing is sustained unabated by sheer negligence or refusal to act by the security agencies. It is very sad that in Nigeria, with all the security forces a whole senatorial district will go on being punished by the militia and no action is coming from government. This is a sad commentary.

    “We woke up yesterday to see that the entire city of Abuja was under siege. This country is gradually falling into anarchy and we need to wake up to our responsibilities. It is very sad that corpses are littering everywhere.

    “As I speak to you now, the Southern senatorial district has been completely emptied by the militia and they are occupying all the houses and villages of the Tiv people across all local governments, up to five of them and they are just within 30 minutes drive from the state capital, Lafia.

    “There is even an army base close to where this carnage is taking place with no single shot fired by the army. It baffles me and beats my imagination that a whole enforcement agency of the Nigerian state will stand by and witness Nigerians being killed endlessly. Nobody can explain this.

    “It is no wonder that very eminent Nigerian citizens have urged Nigerians to defend themselves because their life is in their own hands and no longer in the hands of the Nigerian security forces. I am very emotional on this matter and I am not one given to emotion very easily. But what I have gone through this weekend is very horrifying.

    “It is very distressing and sad. It is as if we are in a lawless society where life is brutish, where there is absence of state powers. We call on the Federal Government to stop this carnage.”

    Senator Barnabas Gemade (Benue North East), who seconded the motion, said the country was gradually assuming the status of a nation without control, adding: “It is becoming a state that is experiencing anarchy.

    “It is a state in which we have seen ethnic cleansing, and when statements like this are made by very senior nationalists, many people try to trivialise it.

    “It is a shame that a sitting government could watch criminality go to the level that we have seen it today rather than rise up and take very decisive steps against it. We embark on deniability and simply shield this evil by just explaining with flimsy excuses that these are communal clashes in those communities.

    ‘In deed, the carnage in Nasarawa South affects mainly people of my ethnic group, who are in large population in Nasarawa South. It is the same kind of killing that is going on in Goma local government, Logo local government and Gwer West local government in Benue State.

    “It is the same kind of killing we are witnessing in Wukari and Takum local governments in Taraba State. It is targeted at a particular ethnic nationality, which is my own people.

    “I don’t understand why people elected to run the governments will simply turn away from the reality of facing this matter squarely. And the governor of a state will even deny that there is no militia in the state, and yet, there are people who are armed and they are killing people as they like.

    “The Inspector-General will fly by helicopter to a town, land in the market square and ask people whether there is militia in this town or not. And nobody whatsoever seems to call anybody to order. This is very sad. We have done enough of a minute silence for innocent Nigerians being killed.

    “I think it has come to a stage where we must find ways of doing something about this. Maybe the advice of some nationalists to the people to find ways of protecting themselves may not be out of order because a government that cannot protect people and a military whose presence in any particular place means the killing of certain ethnic nationalities they do not believe in is a very sad development.

    “I think that this Senate will continue to live to its reputation by condemning this kind of situation decisively and any other way they can do something about it through the committees that have been set up to handle this matter.

    “Mr. President, I second this motion and pray that our colleagues will support it wholeheartedly and also support us with ideas on how we can deal with these issues, otherwise, we are beginning to see a nation divided on tribal lines where there are lords and there are slaves, and lords order the military forces to kill those who are supposed to be slaves.

    “And you know, if there is no justice there cannot be peace. And people who think that the lords will be able to sleep peacefully in their houses are wasting their time.

    “Very shortly, the slaves will rise up and we will see a complete showdown where the slaves will fight back because lords cannot kill slaves and go back and remain in the comfort of their homes and simply laughing and smiling and enjoying the wealth of this nation while those who toil are being killed like goats and beasts in the field.”

    Senators Solomon Adeola (Lagos West) and Jeremiah Useni (Plateau South) sought the removal of Service Chiefs; Senator Ben Murray-Bruce said what the country is passing through was worse than what happened during the administration of President Shehu Shagari, who was overthrown in 1983.

    Murray-Bruce said: “The problem is complete failure of leadership. The tension in 1983 when the government of Shehu Shagari was overthrown is nothing compared to what is happening today. Let it be on record that the way we have conducted ourselves means that democracy cannot survive.”

    Senator Barau Jibrin (Kano North) said Murray-Bruce’s contribution amounted to canvassing for violent regime change.

    Jibrin cautioned that they should control their emotion “because lamentation is just enough,” saying: “If government has failed all of us have failed because we are all part of the government.”

    Useni wondered why the Senate would be debating the quarrel between heads of security agencies.

    He noted that the report of the Department of State Service (DSS) against Mr. President’s nominee was debated by the Senate, while the quarrel of the heads of two security agencies was also brought to the Senate.

    Heads of security agencies, he said, should take orders from the President before they act

    Useni added: “During Sani Abacha regime, he was meeting with Service Chiefs every week and there was no room for the Service Chiefs to talk ill of one another. They spoke with one voice and ensured effectiveness. Instead of the Senate always asking Mr. President to call the Service Chiefs and heads of security agencies to order, they should be removed.”

    Adeola also called for the removal of the Service Chiefs because “they have failed to proffer solution to incessant insecurity involving loss of hundreds of lives of Nigerians.”

    Adeola noted that President Muhammadu Buhari, who is in London only yesterday expressed serious concern about the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria.”

    He said: “There is nowhere that is safe in Nigeria with the daily killings that the nation is regaled with.” “I want to commend the leadership of the Senate for the security summit it organised recently and the report and recommendations. But so far the security situation has not improved and what the President needs at this time is fresh ideas on how to tackle numerous security challenges confronting the nation.”

    According to him, the only way to get fresh ideas for the President to address the security challenges is to remove the incumbent service chiefs to give room for those with fresh ideas. The nation, he said, should do away with unproductive tenure elongation in areas where fresh ideas are needed.

    “We know the way the military organisations operate. Those with fresh ideas dare not come out against their superiors or else they risk premature retirement from service. So the current service chiefs should go to allow officers with fresh ideas address our alarming security issues.”

    Senator Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central) said security issues should not be mixed with party and government, arguing that it was obvious  wickedness was spreading in parts of the world.

    Tinubu blamed the situation on individuals being cold to one another.

    Insisting that stakeholders should always preach peace, she said the government had done well.

    Senator Emmanuel Bwacha lamented that over 27 people were killed in Taraba State at the weekend, saying over 300 armed militia men invaded two Taraba villages and killed scores of people.

    He said the country should ask for foreign collaboration to tackle the problem.

    Bwacha said some people looking for political patronage would always trivialise a grave situation for political advantage.

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over proceedings, urged the country to take the bull by the horns and seek foreign assistance to tackle the problem.

    Ekweremadu said: “Deliberately, we have given this thing the attention and priority it deserves. As we have pointed out, the primary purpose of government anywhere in the world is the preservation of the lives of citizens. If citizens are being killed, we owe the responsibility as a parliament to give it the desired attention. And we will never stop talking about these killings. Unless it stops, we will never be tired of speaking about it.

    “I have to thank you, distinguished colleagues, for your patriotic contributions. We have listened to senators from different parts of the country – from the East to the West, North to the South – and we are united in condemning the killings. It is indeed very regrettable.

    “I ask myself, assuming this is happening in America, in the United Kingdom or France, will it take all this time to be resolved? As we know not even in South Africa. But it appears that we are taking too many things for granted.

    “The time has come for us to seek help from other countries as some of us have suggested here. We should not be ashamed to ask for help. The President met with the United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister, Mrs Theresa May, and she was of the opinion that Britain would help us security wise. America is also offering to help.

    “We should not be reluctant to come out openly to say we need help, because what we have now is a global village. We cannot be asking people to come to Nigeria and invest their money here. They will not! Rather, let us ask them to come and help us to solve our security problem. If we solve our security problem, they will come here, with nobody asking them to come. I think the first thing to do is to resolve the issue, and it is something we all need to do, and do it fast.

    “We are representatives of the people. If they kill everybody, we will have nobody to represent; we will have no job. We are not on appointments, we are representatives. If we have nobody to represent, nobody will have a job here. So, security is more important than any other thing that we do here.

    “If it gets to a level where we have to shut down this National Assembly and sit down with the executive for as long as it lasts to resolve the problem, we may have to do that.

    “I am happy that we have spoken today and everybody is concerned. I just want to appeal that we do not allow any situation to divide us as a Senate. Let us continue to speak with one voice until this matter is resolved.

    “It is critical and people are very worried. We must have a country before we can talk about elections.”

    Death toll hits 70 in Nasarawa killings, says group

     

    The death toll from last weekend’s attacks by herdsmen on Tiv communities in Southern Nasarawa states has risen to 70 as more bodies were discovered.

    People believed to be missing are 50, President of Tiv Youth Organisation in Nasarawa state Mr. Peter Ahemba, said yesterday.

    Ahemba said the additional bodies were recovered from Uluji, Ayaakeke, Uvirkaa, Usula, among other villages.

    He added that most of the victims were those trapped in villages along Agwatashi-Jangwa road in Obi Local Government.

    “We are still searching for many of our people missing since the attacks occurred. Bodies of those killed especially at Kertyo last Sunday and the surrounding villages have not been recovered up till now that I speak with you,” he said.

    Following the attacks, many Tiv communities across Obi, Awe, Doma and Keana Local Government Areas have been sacked by the attackers.

    More than 100,000 people are taking refuge in the headquarters and other villages in the affected Local Government areas..

    Yesterday, Governor Tanko Al-Makura was attacked during a visit to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Agwatashi. After the attack he returned to the Government House without proceeding to the Kaena IDP camp as planned.

    The governor’s convoy was pelted with stones by some IDPs at Agwatashi, Obi Local Government Area.

    Al-Makura visited the camp with security chiefs to assess the situation arising from the Sunday killing of 32 persons in the area by suspected headsmen.

    When the governor attempted to address the IDPs, some youths in the camp became unruly and started chatting different slogans which made the governor to leave the camp.

    The situation became tense when the youths began to pelt the governor’s convoy with stones thereby compelling the police to disperse them with tear gas.

    The governor attributed the situation to frustration as a result of the challenges the IDPs faced.

    “The reaction from the people is understandable given their plight and we have to use diplomacy to address the issues.

    “Continuing to address them at the moment would not yield any result so we have decide to avoid further altercation.

    “However, this action appears to indicate that the problems in some of these communities are self-inflicted.

    “If people can conduct themselves in this way, then you know that there is more to it than what is happening,” Al-Makura said.

    The governor however advised the leaders of the communities to caution their subjects against mob actions and disrespect for law and order.

    “If you will want to take laws into your own hands, you will be left to defend yourselves.

    “However as a responsible government desirous of protecting lives and property, we shall explore all avenues to ensure the safety of the people,” Al-Makura added.

    He directed the chairmen of the affected local government areas to take stock of the people displaced with a view to providing relief material to them. (NAN)

    Commissioner of Police Ahmed Bello said the attack on Al-Makura’s convoy was politically motivated.

    Bello told reporters in Lafia shortly after a security meeting at the Government House, Lafia, that preliminary investigation had revealed that the attack had political undertone.

    He said investigation had begun to unravel those behind the incident, saying that the police would not rest on their oars until the perpetrators were arrested and punished.

    He said the security situation in the area had been brought under control with the deployment of police personnel.