Nigerian Senate approves proclamation of emergency

Nigerian Senate approves proclamation of emergency
Obiora Ani, Abuja

The Nigerian Senate has endorsed the declaration of state of emergency on 15 local governments of Borno, Niger, Plateau, and Yobe states in the north of the country by President Goodluck Jonathan.

In their deliberation on the issues at plenary on Wednesday, the senate condemned the attacks in some states in the north in their entirety.

The Local Governments

The Local Government Areas are Borno State: Maiduguri Metropolitan, Gamboru Ngala, Banki Bama, Biu, and Jere. Niger State: Suleja local government. Plateau State: Jos North, Jos South, Barkin- Ladi, and Riyom. Yobe State: Damaturu, Giedam, Potiskum, Buniyadi-Gujba and Gasau-Barde.

The Senators cited the proclamation of state of emergency in the first republic in the early sixties by the government of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa on the western region and the plateau to restore order in those areas as well as the declaration of State of emergency on Ekiti State in the South West and Plateau State by President Olusegun Obasanjo in the 4th Republic.

Required measures

In the their separate motions on Proclamation of State of Emergency in certain Local Government Areas of the Country and General Insecurity in the Nation, both the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma Egba and the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, chronicled reasons for their colleagues to support the motions.

In his lead debate, Senator Ndoma Egba, noted that “the country has been experiencing serious crises and disturbances which presently constitute grave threats to peace, order, good governance, security and safety to the nation and her citizenry’’.

He contended that the present crises, religious disturbances, political and ethnic divide with the perpetrators of the crises utilizing terrorist tactics occasions  serious break down of law and order.

“There is clear and present danger of the crises in the local government areas of these states spreading beyond their boundaries to other areas of the federation,” he said.    

The Senate Leader is of the opinion that extra ordinary measures are required to restore peace, security and order in the affected local governments and the entire country.

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, noted with sadness the bombing spree at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State, the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church, Jos, Plateau State and some other Churches in the north as well as the State Security Service Office in Damaturu, Yobe State.

“The singular Christmas Day bomb attack on St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla and other places of worship are capable of plunging the nation into ethno-religious crises and further aggravate the present security challenges in the nation,” he said.

The Senators unanimously called for the total overhaul of the security apparatus in the country or the importation of security experts from abroad to handle the deteriorating security situation if it becomes inevitable.

Williams