By Fatima Saka
The Nigerian Senate has sent for the security service chiefs to appear before the Senate, following the Plateau State killing of innocent souls on Christmas Eve.
The Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Director-General DSS, Inspector General of Police, and National Security Adviser.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said the invitation of the chiefs will be a closed door session with the Senate to explain the reason for the attack in Plateau State.
This follows the motion sponsored by Senator Diket Satso Plang representing Plateau Central senatorial district on a special point of order, before passing of the 2024 budget.
Titled: “Barbaric killing of innocent and helpless citizens of Mangu-bokkos-barkin Ladi Local Government Areas Of Plateau State and for an urgent need to supply relief materials to the victims of the crisis and upscale security operations.”
The motion read: Notes that Plateau State known as the Home of Peace and Tourism is gradually losing its once peaceful nature and atmosphere due to incessant crisis and attacks by marauding criminals.
“Notes also that Mangu, Bokkos and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State located within the Plateau North and Plateau Central Senatorial Districts have consistently come under attack by criminal elements in the last few months, with the recent attack on the 24th of December 2023 (Christmas Eve), while many were celebrating the Christmas season, leading to wanton destruction of lives and properties and a black Christmas for inhabitants of the crisis areas;
“Notes further that this recent attack appears to be a well. coordinated and well-orchestrated with about 20 villages being attacked simultaneously, leading to the loss of about 195 lives and still counting, with others having varying degrees of life threatening injuries and permanent deformities;
“Aware that the crisis in Plateau State is further exacerbated by the impact of climate change on the environment, the drying up of the Lake Chad and the mass movement of cattle into the Plateau in search of vegetation and fodder, and also the influx of illegal miners, who often clash with the land owners, these makes the crisis rather complex because of its economic, ethnic and religious colouration, hence the need to tighten up the Grazing policies, the mining and environmental laws of the Federation and that of the State;
“Aver that the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu upon receiving the news of the crisis, sent a high powered delegation led by the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria His Excellency Senator. Kashim Shettima in company of the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defence Staff and other notable personalities to the crisis areas to access the situation and also condole with families of victims of the attack;
“Further Aver that The Chief of Defence Stoff, the other Service Chiefs and the Inspector General of Police have acted swiftly by deploying troops to the crisis area, this is also commendable but a lot more needs to be done to curb further attacks especially with the rumors of more attacks happening in the coming months, leaving the people in paralyzed fear, this appears to be the trend in recent times as most of these rumors of attacks often turn out to be true, hence the need for enhanced security presence and surveillance;
“Cognizant that from previous experiences with the nature of these attacks in so many locations across Nigeria, having a temporary military presence will only bring some cosmetic relief because in many Instances, the situation gets even worse once the military operations are over, also where the fight in not taken to the criminals by locating and decimating their hideouts, the crisis is never over, Plateau State known for its vegetative and rocky nature is an easy environment for these criminals to hide and carry out their heinous and nefarious activities, but the terrain is not such a difficult one as to interfere with military surveillance operations especially with modern military technology like the use of drones and robotics, which will help in locating the criminal hideouts and decimating them;
“Further cognizant that despite the temporary relief the victims of the crisis are experiencing due to enhanced military presence, most of them are in dire need of essential
Seconding the motion is Senator Abdul Ningi representing Bauch Central senatorial district, and the chairman of Northern Senators Forum (NSF) lamented that there had been a rumor before the attacks, “the government tried to make the information available but the citizens never believed.”
The Senator stressed that the securities agencies are not united, “Plateau is in dearly in need; the bandits are not moving with weapons but the weapons are domiciled in the state.”
The Northern Forum Senator stressed that there are certain people leading the crisis in plateau states. “Mr president, this Senate needs to unravel who these people are, what is behind it .”
However, the Senate further considered others prayers to prevent future occurrence, following:
The senate Urge the Chief of Defence Statt to establish a mobile Military base in Jeneret village of Mangu Local Government Gree which is a border point and an entry route for the criminals who commit these barbaric acts to escape freely.
“the Nigerian Military to deploy Intelligence and perial in the affected Local Government Areas of Plateau State and its environs and decimating them completely
“the Minister of Solid Minerals Development to Immediately take action in putting a check on illegal miners and mining activities in the country especially the affected regions.
“the Plateau State Government to strengthen its environmental mining laws to check the excesses of illegal miners in the State.
“the Plateau State Government to upscale dialogue between traditional and religious leaders especially in the affected crisis areas to find non kinetic solutions towards curbing the crisis.
“Issue such further directives as deemed expedient in the circumstance to ensure compliance with this resolution.”
