Sequel to the resolution to summon heads of Nigeria’s security agencies and service chiefs, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, led a closed-door session between members of the upper chamber and the service chiefs for over three hours on Thursday.
The meeting was to consider President Goodluck Jonathan’s request to extend the state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States. In attendance were, Messrs Air Marshal Alex Badeh (Chief of Defence Staff); Major General Kenneth Minimah (Chief of Army Staff); Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin (Chief of Naval Staff), Air Vice Marshall Adesola Amosu (Chief of Air Staff), the Inspector General of Police, (Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar) and the Director, State Security Services, Mr. Ekpeyong Nsah.
After the meeting, Ekweremadu, told journalist that the deliberation with the service chiefs was smooth and that the analysis of the points raised has been done.
Ekweremadu said as responsible and patriotic citizens of the nation, the senate is looking at the request from all considerable angles to ensure that the security situation in the affected states would improve at the shortest possible time.
“The senate agreed to do further consultation with all the necessary stakeholders to ensure that everybody could buy into whatever that is needed to be done to secure those states and defeat insurgency there,” he said.
“This is what transpired at our closed-door session. So by Tuesday, we will continue our deliberation on the state of emergency and insurgency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.”
In an interview with journalists after the plenary, Senator Ahmed Lawan representing Yobe north constituency, who had earlier moved against the extension request, expressed doubts about the possibility of resolving the issue of insurgency in Nigeria in many years to come.
“We are against state of emergency [rule]. What we require is effectiveness of those (military) who are there and that does not require state of emergency. What we need to do is to ensure that whatever resources are appropriated are utilized properly,” Lawan said.
He pointed to states like Nasarawa, Benue, Zamfara and recently Katsina where the Military has conducted very massive operations, noting that the no state of emergency was declared in those places before those operations were conducted.
He maintained that insurgency does not end, citing examples of Turkey, Pakistan and Colombia where insurgency has stayed on for about 30 to 50 years.
“What you need to do is to continue to get the right arms and re-strategise until you get to the situation where people would feel better. And you don’t have to be under state of emergency,” Lawan said.
In her own comment, Senator Hope Uzodinma expressed confidence that the issue would be resolved by next week Tuesday, saying the senate leadership would have concluded necessary consultations by then.
“We deliberated and looked at the issues and we would continue by Tuesday. I am sure by Tuesday we would get through with it, because between now and Tuesday the leadership of the senate would do more consultation,” Uzodinma said.
Also, Senator Smart Adeyemi, gave further details about the need to consult extensively with other stakeholders in order to get the matter in its right perspective.
“I must confess to you that when the service chiefs came and they spoke at length to us, quite a number of people changed their opinion on the issue of emergency rule,” Adeyemi said.
“So as it is many of the legislators have not really made up their mind as to whether they are going to support it or not. But what is important is the safety of life and property of people is of paramount importance to all of us. The state of emergency still remains, it expires Tuesday.”
Reps Approve Extension of Emergency Rule in Adamawa, Borno, Yobe
However, the House of Representatives has approved, President Goodluck Jonathan’s request to extend the Emergency Rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States after three hours of closed door deliberation with service chiefs.
Among many notes made by the service chiefs, they added that elections cannot hold in the states while the rule stands because it is tantamount to being at war.
Before reaching a conclusion through voice votes on Thursday, Speaker Aminu Tambuwal reminded the House that there was an agreement on Wednesday, to vote on the extension of emergency rule.
In his words;” After an exhaustive meeting with the service chiefs on their operations so far we agreed to vote on it,”
When he eventually put it to a voice vote, a thunderous aye carried the day.
