INSECURITY : NO WHERE IS SAFE IN NIGERIA - REPS

Against the backdrop of recent fatal attacks on
security installations, federal lawmakers
yesterday expressed concern over worsening
insecurity across the country.
In wide-ranging contributions sequel to a motion
on urgent national importance on worsening
insecurity sponsored by Abubakar Momoh (Edo/
ACN), lawmakers said the attacks on the security
establishments were clear pointers that nobody,
including security facilities, was safe again. They
said there was reason to worry over the safety of
the National Assembly complex.
Suspected Boko Haram last Sunday attacked a
church inside the Armed Forces Command and
Staff College in Jaji, Kaduna State, killing more a
dozen people and injuring scores more. The very
next day, on Monday, the Special Anti-Robbery
Squad (SARS) detention centre in Abuja came
under attack when suspected terrorists invaded
the centre reportedly killing two police officers
and setting free over 150 detainees.
The incidents which LEADERSHIP learnt jolted
the top security brass came in the wake of
rumoured plans for a peace talk between the
federal government and the Boko Haram sect.
Although the police high command came out to
announce that 25 of the fleeing suspects were
recaptured, the incidents left most residents in
the FCT with fear that the insurgents had actually
infiltrated the nation's capital.
When contacted on the motion by the
lawmakers, spokesman of the police, CSP Frank
Mba said the legislators, as representatives of the
people, had the right to pass motions in the
interest of Nigerians.
"I don't have any reaction to make on the motion
by the lawmakers. They are our representatives
and have the right to pass motion, so I don't have
anything to say about that," Mba said.
Leading the debate on the motion, Momoh cited
Tuesday's robbery in Auchi, Edo State, which
claimed the lives of three soldiers, some
policemen and civilians. He said the brazen
robbery showed clearly that insecurity in the
country was getting out of hand.
In other contributions, Rapheal Nnanna (Imo/
PDP) said the successful attack on the SARS
headquarters in Abuja and a prior bomb attack
on a church at the military college in Jaji, Kaduna,
showed that Nigeria's security agencies were
deficient in checking insecurity in the country.
The Imo lawmaker said, "The state of insecurity
in the country has reached an embarrassing level.
What happened in Jaji and SARS headquarters is
embarrassing to the leadership and people of this
nation. I see these people coming to the National
Assembly very soon".
On his part, House Minority Whip, Samson
Osagie (Edo/ACN) said, "We can't afford to fold
our hand and watch these people kill and maim
people the way they are doing".
Jerry Alagbaso (Imo/PDP) called on security
agencies to focus on intelligence gathering.
He also called on the government to improve the
sophistication of arms that security agents used.
"That is the only way they can overcome the
current challenge. Our security must improve on
intelligence gathering," he asserted.
In a separate matter, the House of
Representatives stepped down a bill seeking to
compel the president and governors to get the
consent of the Senate and the House of Assembly
before relieving a minister or commissioner
from office. The bill was stood down for lack of
merit.
It is a modest assessment — Sagay
In reaction to the resolution of the House of
Representatives, Professor Itse Sagay (SAN)
described the bill as one that was meant to ginger
the executive into action, saying it was a modest
and obvious assessment of the true position of
things in Nigeria.
He said: "Of course, nowhere is safe; because in
the North, you have Boko Haram, kidnapping in
the South-South and South-East and armed
robbery in South-West. The resolution is highly
timely; something has to be done urgently to
strengthen the military, police and other security
agencies in the country.
"You can see the number of civilians, policemen
and military personnel that were mowed down
by armed robbers, Boko Haram sect and other
forms of bandits."