Insecurity: Resign now, Senate tells Olonisakin, Buratai, other Service Chiefs

Irked by the deteriorating security situation in the country, the Senate has again called on the Service Chiefs to resign from office with immediate effect.

The Service Chiefs are the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Yusuf Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Ibok-Ekwe Ibas, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar and the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Muhammad Adamu.

The Senate’s resolution was sequel to the consideration of motion drawing attention to the rising number of casualties among the Nigerian Army and other security agencies.

The demand for the resignation of the Service Chiefs was put forward in a proposed amendment to the resolutions of the Senate moved by Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi (PDP Osun East); and seconded by Senator Betty Apiafi (PDP Rivers West).

The upper legislative chamber also urged President Muhammadu Buhari, to as a matter of urgency, provide modern equipments to enhance the operational capabilities of the armed forces.

Sponsor of the original motion, Senator Ali Ndume (APC Borno South), while coming under Order 42 and 52 of the Senate Standing Rules, noted with concern the various reports of casualties among the Nigerian Army and other security agencies.

According to the lawmaker, 24 soldiers were recently ambushed and killed along damboa-Maiduguri in Borno State, with 19 wounded and nine declared missing in action.

“The Senate is disturbed that in Katsina again about 20 soldiers were also ambushed and killed while several others were wounded.

“The Senate appreciates the sacrifices of our armed forces in the fight against insurgency, banditry and protection of the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

“The Senate is concerned that if the trend continues, it will have serious implication on the fight against insurgency and banditry in the country,” Ndume added.

In his contribution, the Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (APC Kebbi North), called on security agencies to change their tact and strategy of deployment in the fight against insecurity in the country.

“This Senate will not keep quite to the importance of this issue. And whenever challenges of the nature that have occurred as narrated by Senator Ali Ndume we should come out very clearly to show our disgust and at the same time commend those operating as security forces who lay their lives so that we can survive to be free,” he lamented.

Also, Senator Istifanus D. Gyang (PDP Plateau North), noted that “this motion is very disturbing as it brings out the very unsavoury and gory details on disturbing developments from the front lines by soldiers fighting insurgency and banditry across states of the nation particularly in the North.”
He further noted that the reports of repeated loss of lives of soldiers and desertions is the order of the day.

“The latest development that is novel and unprecedented is the resignation of over 200 soldiers. This shows the level of disaffection and disenchantment.

“This also calls for an urgent scrutiny by the Senate of not only the strategic, the tactical and operational details of operation by the Armed Forces,” Senator Gyang stressed.

Accordingly, the upper legislative chamber after holding a minute silence for the fallen soldiers, mandated the joint Committees on Army; Air Force; Navy; National Security and Nigeria Police to receive briefing on the state of affairs of the services in this regard.

In his concluding remarks, the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan, condoled with the families of slain soldiers, and charged the Senate Joint Committees to investigate alleged desertion of the Army by soldiers at the war front.

He said: “The spirit of this motion is that our armed forces are trying very hard, but just like the President said, their good is not good enough.

“We need to continue to encourage and provide for them. They lay their lives on behalf of us, and of course, it is very sad that some of them are alleged to have deserted the war front.

“We need to get to the bottom of this. Our joint committee should be able to find out the facts about this allegation of over 200 deserting the war front.”

Meanwhile, Senator Ndume, while speaking with journalists on the motion after the resolutions have been passed, stressed the need for the nation’s military to be provided with the necessary equipment, manpower and support to address the rising level of insecurity in the country.