…Directs Full Military Operation
BEVERLY HILLS, CA, May 20, (THEWILL) – The Senate, Tuesday, unanimously approved a further six months extension of emergency rule in the three North East states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states but with conditions.
Rising from over two hours consultations with Northern Senators and a closed-door session on Tuesday, the Senators also asked President Goodluck Jonathan to deploy full military operation in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgents.
The extension, it could be recalled, had met a stiff opposition in the Senate as most Senators from the north kicked against it.
However, after series of negotiations, the lawmakers approved the extension with some conditions Leading debate on the motion, the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma – Egba, noted that the Senate had earlier on November 7, 2013, considered and approved the extension of the period of the state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.
He explained that by virtue of of the provisions of Section 305 ( 6 ) ( c ) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, the proclamation will elapse after a period of approval, except the period is extended by the National Assembly.
He added that President Goodluck Jonathan, in a letter dated 13th May, 2014, requested for a further extension of the period in the affected states.
Ndoma – Egba stated further that the Senate recognised that the security situation in those states remains daunting in the face of persistent attacks by members of the Boko Haram sect on civilian and military targets with alarming casualty rates.
He recalled that the Ministers of Defence and Police Affairs Service Chiefs and Director-General State Security Service, Inspector General of Police, and the National Security Adviser, had briefed the Senate on the state of security in the affected states.
The senate leader therefore urged his colleagues to approve the extension of the Proclamation of the State of Emergency as contained in the emergency powers (General) Regulations, 2013 effective in the affected states.
Ndoma – Egba, said by the senate approval, the emergency rule would remain in force for a further period of six months in accordance with the terms, conditions, content and context as earlier passed by the National Assembly.
Subsequently, the Senate without a single voice of dissent approved the extension of the emergency rule.
The Senate also welcomed and endorsed the support of the international community in respect of efforts to rescue the abducted Chibok Girls and urged President Jonathan to expand the cooperation and collaboration to the overall arrest of the ugly incidence of terrorism in Nigeria.
The Senate also called for proper kitting and arming of the armed forces deployed to arrest the insurgency and adequate welfare the for troops
It also urged that full military operation be undertaken on sustained basis to rout the insurgents.
It advised that special recruitment should be done into the Armed Forces of screened and vetted youths, particularly those in the Civilian JTF, who will receive emergency training and deployed in the troubled zone in order to beef up the strength of the troops and win hearts and minds of the locals.
The Senate also advised that the Federal Government with the state governments should come up with an Economic Marshal Plan to revive the economy of the economically and educationally backward parts of the country while the Federal should seek and secure multilateral support for such marshal plan.
It said the Ministers of Defence, Police Affairs, Service Chiefs,NSA and DG SSS are to report to the Senate on monthly basis progress made in combating the insurgency on the basis of which the Senate can take any decision it reconsiders necessary including but not limited to the revocation of the declaration of state of emergency
It urged President Jonathan to prepare and submit to the National Assembly supplementary budget to meet any establishment financial requirement needed to combat the insurgency and the President is to approve intervention funds to the affected states for development.
In his remarks, Senate President, David Mark, expressed gratitude to the Senators for looking at the issue from a national perspective rather than as a regional issue.
“I thank you for the pains taken in the discussion that took place and the subsequent approval. Let me also say emphatically here that we have requested that certain issues be resolved as quickly as possible. We stand shoulder to shoulder behind our colleagues from all the States affected.
“We take this in the same vein that we are all equally affected and that it is a national issue and not a sectional issue in any form,” Mark said.
EMMA UCHE, ABUJA
