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The Minister of Defence, General Aliyu Gusau (rtd), the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) as well as the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Abubakar, have been summoned by the House of Representatives to appear before its joint committees on security to explain the recent killings of unarmed villagers by Fulani herdsmen in Zamfara State.
The trio are also expected to give clarifications as to why insecurity, occasioned by attacks by Fulani herdsmen, continues to escalate in various parts of the country.
The House made the resolution following a motion on matters of urgent national importance moved by Hon. Ibrahim Shehu Gusau (APC-Zamfara).
Condemning in strong terms the spate of killings around the country, the House also flayed “the wanton destruction of lives and property†through which about 15 different villages in the state where raided and over 200 innocent villagers murdered in cold blood.
According to Gusau, “The past 72 hours had witnessed unprovoked attacks on innocent villagers by Fulani herdsmen who now organise themselves on motorcycles with sophisticated weapons ranging from sub-machine guns, assorted rifles and automatic weapons to unleash terror on helpless and defenceless villagers.
“The most surprising thing is that these attacks can go on for hours without any form of intervention from the security agencies in and around the state as the attackers did whatever they liked with their victims including raping the women.â€
Other prayers sought by Gusau, which were granted included: that the army should establish battalions in these areas with a view to preventing future occurrences and that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) should supply relief materials to the affected villages.
In a related development, a motion on matters of urgent national importance was raised by Hon. Mohammed Onawo (PDP-Nasarawa) prompting the House to order an investigation into the non-implementation of a project to construct an army battalion in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State which was meant to help checkmate incessant communal clashes between different ethnic groups in the area.
He argued that despite appropriating the sum of N100 million in the 2014 budget, the contract for the project was yet to be awarded even as the contract sum underscores its importance.
“The essence of the project is to boost security in the senatorial district comprising Doma, Lafia, Awe, Keana and Obi and the neighbouring towns of Guma, Gwer West and Agatu in Benue State, which at the moment is threatened by frequent insurgent attacks resulting in loss of lives, property among other casualties bringing an increases situation of refugees and humanitarian calamities all over the two states,†he said.
While expressing the fear that the appropriated funds may be mismanaged if actions are not taken by National Assembly to forestall such and ensure timely implementation, he urged the House to direct its Committees on Works and Army to investigate the circumstances surrounding the non-implementation of the project and report back to the House within one month.
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