N’Assembly Laments over Worsening Insecurity as Buhari Seeks US’ Help

•Senate to meet president, service chiefs
•House demands state of emergency
•Security agencies silent over alleged Boko Haram’s flag hoisting in Niger, senator says 42 communities occupied
•Atiku, Saraki proffer solutions
•Terrorism in Nigeria complex, says UK minister

By Deji Elumoye and Chuks Okocha, Kingsley Nwezeh, Adedayo Akinwale, Udora Orizu in Abuja and Laleye Dipo in Minna

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday reached out to the United States and other important and strategic partners for help in combating the worsening security challenges facing Nigeria.

Buhari, during a virtual meeting with the US Secretary of State, Mr. Antony Blinken, said the support is necessary because untamed insecurity in Nigeria will have dire consequences for her neighbours and many other countries.

His plea for help came three days after Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, cried out about the endless martyrdom of the youth in the country and called on the president to seek help to combat terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.

Speaking on the same subject, British Minister for Africa, Mr. James Duddridge, at a meeting with Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Geoffrey Onyema, said the disturbing trend of violence unleashed on Nigerians by Boko Haram sect and allied terror groups is a complex phenomenon that would require varied approaches to resolve.

The security crisis also engaged the attention of the National Assembly with the House of Representatives demanding a state of emergency in the sector.

In the Senate, many senators fumed over the worsening insecurity and mandated its leadership to book an appointment with the president and service chiefs to discuss the issue and proffer solutions.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a former President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, were also on hand yesterday to proffer solutions to the security challenges hemming in the country.

Buhari, during the virtual meeting with Blinken, canvassed the support of the international community in the moves by Nigeria and the West African sub-region to tackle insecurity to avoid spillovers to other countries.

He also urged the United States to consider relocating the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) from Stuttgart, Germany, to Africa, nearer the theatre of operation.

He said: “The security challenges in Nigeria remain of great concern to us and impacted more negatively, by existing complex negative pressures in the Sahel, Central and West Africa, as well as the Lake Chad Region.

“Compounded as the situation remains, Nigeria and her security forces remain resolutely committed to containing them and addressing their root causes. The support of important and strategic partners like the United States cannot be overstated as the consequences of insecurity will affect all nations hence the imperative for concerted cooperation and collaboration of all nations to overcome these challenges.”

He said the relocation of the AFRICOM, which partners with countries to counter transnational threats, to Africa, would strengthen ongoing efforts to check the insecurity and prevent the likelihood of a spillover if done.

“In this connection, and considering the growing security challenges in West and Central Africa, Gulf of Guinea, Lake Chad region and the Sahel, weighing heavily on Africa, it underscores the need for the United States to consider re-locating AFRICOM headquarters from Stuttgart, Germany to Africa and near the Theatre of Operation,’’ he said.

According to him, Nigeria will enhance collaborations in all forms, with friends and strategic partners to work together for greater security for all, which remain the most significant condition for overcoming existential challenges.

Buhari while congratulating Blinken on his appointment by President Joe Biden, commended the United States for the decision to repeal the immigration restriction known as the “Muslim ban,’’ re-joining the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Blinken said he was pleased to make Nigeria part of his “first virtual visit to Africa,” adding that Nigeria and the US share a lot in bilateral issues.

He stated that he would be delighted to build on the foundation laid over 60 years ago between the two countries.

He listed areas of discussion with Nigeria to include “how to build our economies back after the COVID-19 pandemic, security for vulnerable communities, and climate issues.”

Terrorism in Nigeria Complex, Says UK Minister

British Minister for Africa, Duddridge, has said the violence unleashed on Nigerians by Boko Haram and allied terror groups was a complex phenomenon that requires varied approaches to resolve.

Fielding questions from journalists yesterday in Abuja, when he led a delegation to pay a courtesy visit on Onyeama, Duddridge said the United Kingdom was a strong ally of Nigeria in the efforts to mitigate the challenges posed by terrorism and insurgency.

He stated: “The situation is massively complex and no partnership is going to resolve the multiplicity of problems whether it is Boko Haram or Daesh or a number of other issues. In the UK, you have a strong partner across the full gamut of issues, so, it is not just about intelligence and hard security and military, it is about societies, it is about humanitarian support, it is about education and development partnership.

“It is not an end game, we don’t get to a point where we would say ‘this is the end of our relationship with Nigeria,’ because we got what we want, we set a higher bar, we are long –term partners.”

Onyeama decried the complex nature of the challenges the country is facing, especially in the North-east due to the unconventional nature of the war against terrorism.

“It is not a conventional war, where the enemy is readily identifiable; it is asymmetrical warfare, and we are dealing with very difficult situations. We have an intelligence fusion unit with our partners -the US, UK, France,’’ he said, adding that intelligence sharing will continue to help.
Onyeama stated that there are issues to address such as deradicalisation, education, jobs, girl-child education and so many others needed to resolve the challenges of terrorism.

Senators Fume over Rising Insecurity, to Meet Buhari, Service Chiefs

In the Senate yesterday, senators expressed anger over the deteriorating security situation in the country, mandating their leaders to book an appointment with Buhari and service chiefs to discuss the issue and proffer solutions.

It resolved to invite the service chiefs to brief senators on what they’ve been doing to tackle the menace.

These were part of resolutions the Senate made after senators debated a motion of urgent national importance, titled, ‘Need for the federal government to deploy troops and other security apparatus to immediately bring an end to the menace of insurgency and terrorism in Niger State and other parts of Nigeria,’ sponsored by Senator Mohammed Sani Musa (Niger East).

The Senate will also, invite the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Onyeama; Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd), and the Director-General of Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA) to discuss the regional implications of the security challenges.

The Senate also called on the chief of defence staff, the chief of army staff and the inspector-general of police to immediately deploy troops to defend the unarmed populace and bring back security to the affected communities.

It also urged them to establish a permanent military and police command base at the axis adjoining Shiroro and Rafi Local Government Areas respectively and to redesign the modus of operandi of the military operations within the affected areas so as to curtail the escalating insecurity.
Moving the motion, Musa lamented that the activities of bandits and Boko Haram terrorists in Niger State has taken a dangerous dimension.

He recalled that the Senate had made resolutions, set up Ad-hoc Committee on Security and offered support to end the insecurity, all to no avail.

The Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, while rejecting the proposal by some senators to shut down the Senate for some time as they deliberated behind closed doors on the issue, suggested that supplementary budget would be needed to recruit more security personnel and purchase arms.
Adopting the motion, the senators thereafter observed a minute silence for all the victims of criminality nationwide.

House Demands State of Emergency

In the House of Representatives, members called on Buhari to declare a state of emergency in the security sector with the growing spate of attacks and kidnappings nationwide.

The lawmakers also summoned the National Security Adviser (NSA), service chiefs, paramilitary chiefs, Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service and the Managing Director of Nigerian COMSAT to brief the House on the security situation in the country.

House Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, read the resolutions of the lawmakers after a three-hour executive session yesterday to discuss the deteriorating security situation in the country.

The debate at the executive session made it impossible for the plenary to hold.

As part of its resolutions, the House condemned attacks on security agents and formations and sympathised with their families.

The House also sympathised with all the families and communities that have been victims of banditry, terrorism and criminal elements, particularly in Ukpo, Ifitedunu, Dunukofia, Geidam LGA, Abagana, IDP Camp in Makurdi Urikpam, Jato-Aka, Police Divisions in the South-east, Ehime Mbano, Uzo-Uwani in Enugu State, Uzuakoli in Abia State, Balenga Local Government Area of Gombe State, and parts of Imo and nationwide.

The House reiterated its commitment to the security and corporate existence of Nigeria and promised to accelerate its engagement with stakeholders on a special security summit to be organised by the House.
It stated: “Considering the security situation, the president should immediately declare a state of emergency in security so as to fast track all measures to ensure the restoration of peace in the country.”

The House called on the judiciary to accelerate the prosecution of those awaiting trial due to banditry, terrorism and other criminal activities.

The House said the president should as a matter of urgency, ensure financial autonomy to local government councils to guarantee their functionality to serve the local populace.

Atiku, Saraki Proffer Solutions

Meanwhile, a former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has advised Buhari to seek help to tackle the increasing insecurity in the country.

In a statement he issued yesterday, Saraki lamented the spike in insecurity, stating that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has a role to play to combat it.

He said: “It is obvious that President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) government need help. They have been overwhelmed by the situation and they sure need assistance from all. Thus, I urge Mr. President to seek help wherever it can be given. This matter has gone beyond what the government can handle alone. The president should know that calling for help in our present situation is not a sign of weakness.”

Saraki urged Buhari to bring together all former presidents and heads of state, serving and former chief justices, serving and former presiding officers of the National Assembly, serving and former heads of security agencies, traditional rulers with relevant experience, leaders of the private sector, development partners, friends of Nigeria in the international community and all others who can help in ending insecurity.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar warned that criminality should no longer be treated with kid gloves.

He warned that darkness awaits Nigeria, if attacks on schools, particularly universities, are not stopped forthwith.

In a statement he issued yesterday, Atiku said the abduction of yet an unspecific number of undergraduates of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State, was one abduction too many.

He stated that abductions must not be allowed to become Nigeria’s new normal.

He said: “It is time for us as a nation to face the reality that we have an emergency on our hands. A catastrophe that must be decisively dealt with before it snowballs into an existential crisis.

“We must stop treating these acts of criminality with kid gloves. Enough is enough! There must be safety of lives and property in our citadels of learning, because without it, there would be a loss of confidence in the sector, which will result in low enrolment rates in a country that is amongst the highest statistically for out-of-school children,” he stated.

Military Mum over Alleged Hoisting of Boko Haram’s Flag in Niger

Meanwhile, the military high command did not respond to inquiries about its preparedness to tackle the threat posed by the alleged hoisting of Boko Haram’s flag in Niger State, a contiguous state to the Federal Capital Territory.

Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, had on Monday raised the alarm that insurgents had sacked 50 villages in his state and hoisted the Boko Haram’s flag.

He said the threat was so serious that even Abuja, the nation’s capital, a two-hour drive from Niger State, was no longer safe.

However, efforts made by THISDAY to get a response from the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) were unsuccessful.

The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu, did not respond to calls and messages sent to him.

But THISDAY gathered that the service chiefs have met severally with commanders in the past one week in order to develop a holistic response to security challenges afflicting the nation.

“There have been several meetings with governors in that regard. The chief of defence staff has held several meetings with governors in relation to security.

“The service chiefs have also been interfacing with commanders in all the services to develop a holistic response to all these issues,” a security source said.