BEVERLY HILLS, CA, November 14, (THEWILL) – The member, representing Yobe North senatorial zone at the Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan, on Thursday called on the Federal Government to compensate the three North-east States of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe for imposing emergency rule on them.
Maintaining that the emergency rule has caused huge financial burden on the three states and slowed down their development, Lawan, who spoke with journalists in Damaturu, the state capital, said the extension of the state of emergency in the three states was without reason.
Lawan , who is also the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, lamented that many lives were lost during the imposition of emergency rule than at any other times during the crisis which has engulfed the area for over four years.
The senator also said the President’s posture not to compensate the victims of the insurgency but rather assist them was sad, stressing that they never inflicted the disaster on themselves.
Lawan said colossal resources have been lost by innocent citizens in the series of attacks carried out by the insurgents, stressing that the destruction has weakened them and left them with no other option but to be compensated.
He said the Federal Government should borrow a leaf from the United States which compensated its federating states under emergency situation.
He lamented the huge financial burden on the tree states under emergency rule, saying Yobe State alone has committed over N7 billion to the efforts at ending the insurgency. He noted that such huge amount would have been channeled into meaningful developmental projects if not for the crisis and called for a refund to the affected states.
He warned that if the victims of the insurgency are not properly assisted to get back on their feet, they could become potential recruits of the insurgents.
“ I wonder who could be advising Mr. President not to compensate the victims and the affected persons who suffered severe losses as a result of the Boko Haram attack. Let me state categorically that the three states under emergency rule need compensation because of the huge financial burden this insurgents have caused their various states. Yobe and Borno most especially deserve serious compensation because they are worst hit,” he said.
The lawmaker said he chose to defer with the Senate which unanimously approved the extension of the emergency rule in the three states since “more lives were lost during the emergency rule and more schools were attacked during the period than when the emergency rule was not imposed.”
He also faulted the composition of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution on Security Challenges in the North, arguing that it was operated as a parastatal under the presidency and lacks credibility in the sight of the insurgents.
Lawan said the government should have formed a committee of reputable personalities irrespective of their religious and political affiliations and allow them to operate independently from government and the insurgency, saying that is the only way the insurgents can accept the cease fire option.
