The senate last week literarily gave the green light to Jonathan to invoke all the powers of state available to him and crush Boko Haram. UCHENNA AWOM in this piece captured the mood of the Senate Chamber when the motion was moved
To some sponsors of the motion, they ended up achieving the unintended, because at the beginning there were indications of latent fears that the outcome of the debate may not favour them, but yet it was in line with the general aspiration. However, with stupefied bold face, majority of the Senators handed down what could pass as a marching order to the presidency, asking Jonathan to Crush Boko Haram With all State Power available to him.
With the firm resolution, Senate signpost a lid on any further dialogue with the dreaded sect. Ironically the resolution was made barely 24hours after Northern Elders urged the Federal Government to resume dialogue with the fundamentalists group whose activities have brought sorrow and anguish in many Nigerian homes.
The angst was high and the emotion was tenuous as the lawmakers proverbially rent their garments and unanimously resolved to mandate President Goodluck Jonathan to deploy all the instruments of power as a response to the threat posed by the extremist sect.
The position was one of the prayers sought, but which was somehow downplayed and tucked away in the lower rung of the motion. What was apparently on the mind of the movers was to get the Senate’s nod to urge the Federal Government to pay compensation to the victims of the Boko Haram bombings in Kaduna and other places where similar incident occurred.
This prayer was shut down even without the support of most of the sponsors in apparent realization of its futility.
?Instead the Senators directed its joint committee on security, comprising National Security, Intelligence, Defence and Army, Police Affairs, and Interior, to intensify their oversight functions over the security agencies with a view to improving their capabilities in handling the current security challenges.
The stern position of the Senate was sequel to a motion sponsored by Sen. Mohammed Sani Saleh (CPC, Kaduna) wherein he condemned the April 8 terrorist attack in Kaduna, which killed scores.
In the lead debate Senator Saleh, bemoaned the terrorist attacks adding that they have continued unabated nationwide despite the assurances of “our security agencies of being on top of the situation.”
He expressed sadness that the attack, which happened in the very center of the Kaduna city in spite of the numerous road blocks and checkpoints in the city claimed mainly Okada riders, food vendors, commuters, passersby and motorists.
The motion is one of its kinds already taken and discussed by the senate on the same frightening issue of Boko Haram and its attacks mostly in Northern Nigeria. The senate has had to even summon security chiefs to explain the efforts being made by them to stop the menace. But in all of the motions, the lawmakers traded softly because of its political implication, yet the blast assumed greater dimension, even introducing the alien suicide bombing in its wake. Most worrisome was that some senators during some of these debates advance sublime reasons that tend to justify the actions of the group. Some blame poverty, unemployment and bad governance as the root cause of the Boko Haram insurgency.
But this time around the senators distanced themselves from that position and instead beamed searchlight on the lackadaisical attitude of the elders and political leaders of the area most ravaged by the activities of Boko Haram. They urged the political class and the traditional rulers in the North to do more.
?That was to underscore the urgency of the situation and the needs to begin to call spade a spade.
Senators who spoke on the motion lamented on the inefficiency of the security agencies as well as the porous nature of the country’s borders.
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu in his contribution noted that, national security should be topmost on government agenda adding that if not critically tackled, it could result to anarchy.
Senator Ekweremadu called on northern governors to be fully engaged in the fight against the spate of bombings and fashion out ways to stem the tide.
“We will no longer discuss and disperse, that will not happen any longer. We will set up measures to follow up on the situation. I don’t believe money is the issue, if we articulate ideas we can get the money even if we have to borrow.
In his submission, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe said “we are at war. When we are at war, we need to do the needful. We are at war with those that want the country to break up. But I don’t believe this people will break up Nigeria. It is only when we fail to do what we need to do that the country will break. Security agencies have to step up to the challenge. We are aware of lack of cooperation among the security agencies. As we speak to you there are no border patrols.”
He also decried that there has not been enough resolutions from the northern elders and political class as was witnessed during the militancy days and kidnapping saga.
On his part, Sen. Uche Chukwumerije questioned the community disposition towards helping in battling the insurgents. While Sen. Chris Anyanwu, cited conspiracy of silence by traditional leaders and elites as part of the problem.
Senator Anyanwu said “All extremist preachers, whether Christians or Muslims, should face serious consequences. It is brainwashing that has led to the current situation. There is too much conspiracy of silence. Our traditional rulers should be dethroned if they continue to tell us they don’t understand what happens in their domains.
?“Many of our security operatives know nothing about security because they are not well trained. Our military are only trained for conventional war.” She added.
In his contribution on the motion, Senator Olubunmi? Adetumbi noted with disgust that Nigerians are beginning to make a mockery of the resolutions reached by the senate following previous debates on similar motions without their effective implementation by the executive.
“Where is the power of the Senate to make things happen? Nigerians are tired of the condemnation of these attacks. They are asking whether there is a government in place. The government has failed to guarantee security of people’s lives and properties.
?“The Boko Haram issue is not a religious, ethnic or political one; it is a security matter that must be tackled urgently”, he said.
Senator Gyang Dantong (PDP, Plateau) who lamented on the current spate of attacks in northern Nigeria, however noted that if the victims of Kaduna bombings are to be compensated, then it will be in good faith to also compensate all victims of bomb blasts in other parts of the country.
Sen. Thompson Sekibo, opined that the spate of attacks was an evidence of a failed state.
“Our detractors have said that Nigeria will disintegrate by 2015. And before their prediction, there was no terrorism in this country. I’m afraid what is happening now is the sign of their prediction. The issue is for us to guide against it. There is war on the country, and the federal government must act fast”, he said.
Deputy Leader of the Senate, Abdul Ningi made spirited effort to locate the Boko Haram menace within the realm of the history. He said the problem has historical imperative and must be seen as so adding that the Northern Elders have severally condemned the violence in the contrary to the allusion that there seems the reign of code of silence and willful silence of the stakeholders in the North. Ningi advocated for dialogue while also bemoaning the heavy security presence in most part of the North, which according to him hinders development.
The senate has indeed made the expose. They delved into the area that literarily knocked the bile out of some usually strong leaders.
?They also raised fears of some seeming complicity of some leaders and warned that such tendency could spell doom for Nigeria as a country.
?It was indeed a clarion call for the preservation of the unity of the country.