The leadership of the Senate last week expressed shock and dismay over bombings that rocked the city of Kaduna which claimed over 80 lives and was said to target two prominent northern Nigerians. This incident is coming after the Senate received a request from President Goodluck Jonathan seeking approval for $1billion loan to fight rising insecurity in the country. Jonathan Nda- Isaiah writes on the Senate’s reaction to the bombings and other related issues.
When the governor of Borno State, Ibrahim Shettima said sometime back that the Boko Haram insurgents are better armed than the military who are supposedly fighting them off, it generated
outcry, especially from a group of politicians who felt it was an affront to them. However, recent events have shown that the insurgents are indeed better armed and better prepared for
warfare than the Nigerian army.
It seems the strength of the insurgents continues to grow as their attacks have now become more rampant, daring, deadlier and closer to home, while Nigerians now live in constant fear of
where the next bomb is going to explode. Terrorism is a term now synonymous with Nigeria as bombs go off on a weekly basis in the country, killing scores and leaving hundreds injured.
The war against terrorism is taking another dimension with most Nigerians wondering if the federal government can indeed win the war against the insurgents. Gory tales of the insurgents killing and hoisting flags in some communities have become the norm rather than the exception.
Only last week, Kaduna and Kano States were again hit by bombs that claimed lives and properties. The Senate has responded, with the president of the Senate, David Mark, urging the perpetrators of terrorism and bomb blasts terminating lives of innocent Nigerians to
sheathe their swords no matter the issues as killings cannot be a solution to any
problem.
In a similar vein , the deputy Senate president , Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has
described the Kaduna bomb attacks as a double tragedy aimed at the soul of the
nation.
Senator Mark noted in a statement issued by his chief press secretary, Paul Mumeh, that there is no where in the world where violence or killings of people has solved any issue but rather, it has aggravated and complicated issues.
He stated that the unabating killings and destruction of property would only worsen the economic and socio- political situation of Nigeria while renewing his appeal to the perpetrators to hearken to the voice of reason and embrace dialogue which the present administration consistently offers.
A worried Mark stressed, “This resort to bestiality without human feeling any more is what cannot be contemplated or tolerated in a decent society . There are a lot of channels including the law courts or the National Assembly for any aggrieved person or group of persons to seek
redress.
“Resort to killings is inhuman, barbaric and reprehensible . Let us meet at a common ground to solve this problem.
Life is too precious to be wasted .I also know that no religion any where in the world preaches violence or killing of people.”
The Senate president however urged the security operatives not to be deterred by the turn of events but be further strengthened towards winning the war against terrorism.
He expressed condolence to the bereaved family even as he called on citizens to be more vigilant in this trying times.
Meanwhile, Ekweremadu in a statement signed by his special adviser on Media, Mr. Uche Anichukwu, expressed a deep sense of loss over the massive destruction of lives and property
occasioned by the dastardly acts while expressing solidarity with Gen Muhammadu Buhari and the Islamic scholar, Sheik Dahiru Bauchi over the incidents.[eap_ad_2]
He observed that the characters behind the attacks were “unrepentant agents of satan and desperate schemers bent on throwing the nation into chaos and bloodshed”, and “another desperation to aggravate and exploit the nation’s fault lines. They have attacked churches to set Christians at war with their Muslim brethren, but without success.
“They unleashed terror on the mosques to set the country aflame, but that too did
not work. Thus the unsuccessful attacks on major opposition and religious leaders
were yet another heinous plot to get at the soul of this nation.”
He, therefore, called for caution and restraint on the part of the political elites
so as not to heat up the polity.
According to him, “We must all be careful not to play the country into the hands of
her enemies through hasty conclusions and careless remarks in the bid to make
political capital out of a national tragedy.”
He further noted that “the times call for equanimity, courage, and prayers,
especially since our enemies, their bombs and bullets do not know any tribe,
religion, section, or party.”
Ekweremadu expressed heartfelt condolences to all those who lost their loved ones and prayed for the peaceful repose of the dead and quick recovery of the injured.
He assured Nigerians that with faith and total patriotism, the nation would emerge
stronger from the challenges of the moment.
It will be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan had two weeks ago written to
the Senate seeking the consent of the National Assembly for external borrowing
of not more than $1b to tackle the ongoing security challenges in the
country.
In the letter read by Senate president, David Mark, Jonathan stressed the need
to upgrade the equipment, training and logistics of the armed forces and security
services to enable them more forcefully confront this serious threat.
According to Jonathan, “You are no doubt cognisant of the ongoing and serious
security challenges which the nation is facing, as typified by the Boko Haram
terrorist threat. This is an issue that we have discussed at various times”.
“ For this reason, I seek the concurrence of the National Assembly for external borrowing of not more than $1b including government to government arrangement for this upgrade.
“While counting on the steadfast support of the distinguished members of the Senate as always, please accept, distinguished Senate president, the assurances of my highest consideration.”
The request has drawn reactions from several quarters, as in the 2014 budget, defence got the lion share of N968.127 billion in the budget. Most Nigerians demanded to know how much was
expended in the fight against the insurgents in the last two years.
Some Nigerians are also of the view that no amount is too much as long as it will get
the desired results in the war against terrorism. (Leadership)[eap_ad_3]
