SENATE PASSES MOTION ON THE MASSACRE OF ENUGU NORTH RESIDENTS BY FULANI HERDSMEN
The Senate on Thursday, April 28, 2016 commenced plenary session with an executive session that lasted an hour. On resumption, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu who presided over the sitting announced that the Chamber in a closed door session discussed issues bordering on the Upper Legislative Chamber and the National Interest. This was followed by a point of order 42, on issue of national importance moved by Sen. Chukwuka Utazi on the massacre of citizens of Enugu North Senatorial District by Fulani Herdsmen. He sought Senate’s approval to debate the issue in view its importance and was granted.
Sen. Utazi led the debate; stating that the people of Enugu North Senatorial District were gruesomely attacked in their abode by unknown Fulani herdsmen killing a number of persons, maiming many women and children thereby inflicting pains, fear, anger and hopelessness in the minds of those left behind because their houses were equally razed by fire. He called on his colleagues to support the Motion with a view to contain the threat to national security.
Not less than 20 distinguished Senators lent their voices in support of the Motion, prominent among them were Senators Abu Ibrahim, Ben Murray Bruce, Mao Ohuabunwa, Isah Hamma Misau, Muhammed Ali Ndume, Shola Adeyeye, Emmanuel Bwacha, Adamu Aliero, Shehu Sani, Aliyu Wakil, Barau Jibrin, Sam Egwu, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and a host of others.
The Deputy Senate President asserted that to contain the menace, government at all levels must exercise their primary responsibility of protecting lives and properties of the citizenry and the earlier this threat is addressed the better for the nation. Sen. Ekweremadu advocated for both short and long term solutions to the impunity of the herdsmen. High point of the debate was the passage of the Motion with the following resolutions below:
a) Observe a minute silence in honour of persons killed by the herdsmen and others that lost their lives in similar situations across the country.
b) Urge NEMA to immediately come to the rescue of victims by providing relief materials.
c) Call on the nation’s Security Agencies to improve in their intelligence gathering.
d) Call on the Nigeria Police Force to expedite action on the establishment of Police Posts in most communities.
e) Mandate the Senate Committees on Agriculture and Police to conduct investigation on the matter and report to the Senate their findings and recommendations in two weeks.
Consequently, the investigative Ad-hoc Committee Members have been named with each geo-political zone represented by a Senator. They include Sen. Muhammed Ali Ndume – Chairman, Sen. Shola Adeyeye, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, Sen. Shehu Sani, Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa and Sen. Ben Murray Bruce. The Chamber has adjourned sitting to Tuesday, May 3, 2016.