Senators from President’s Party Declare Government Incompetent
Senators from the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) have described the worsening state of insecurity in Niger State and Nigeria as unacceptable.
Mohammed Enagi (APC-Niger South), Sani Musa (APC-Niger East), and Aliu Sabi Aliu (APC-Niger North), during a debate on a motion sponsored by Senator Musa, said that the state had become unsafe for education, agriculture, and other socio-economic engagements.
They were all reacting to the recent kidnap of students of Government Science Secondary School, Kagara, Niger State.
While defending his motion, Musa said the number of students in that school was more than 1000 adding that the actual number of those kidnapped was yet to be known.
Nigerian Sketch observed that all lawmakers who participated in the debate were from the APC as none from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spoke.
Senator Enagi lamented that none of the resolutions that had been adopted by Senate and sent to President Muhammadu Buhari was executed.
According to him, the federal government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari is grossly incompetent, saying the government had been evasive on issues that ought to be given attention.
He observed that it was unfortunate that the federal government was too incompetent to handle in such a way as to guarantee full employment for the nation’s teeming youths.
He suggested the amendment of laws that would allow governors who are chief security officers of their respective states to take charge, insisting that the government at the centre has failed woefully.
He added that citizens might need to be allowed to bear arms through the amendment of laws if the situation persists.
“I’m sorry to say this, the government is grossly incompetent in the handling of security challenges in this country,” Enagi said.
“In my own zone, few days ago, terrorists went to two local governments, but fortunately, my people were able to repel and killed 9 of them and in short everybody that is here has a story to tell about security challenges in this country.
“What else are we supposed to do that we are not doing? Are supposed to amend laws in this country to give every citizen the opportunity to carry arms? What else are supposed to do?
“Shouldn’t we amend Nigeria Constitution to give more powers to the governors who are the Chief Security Officers of their various States because, our government at the centre is so incompetent in the handling of security issues.” Enagi queried.
The Senate urged the president to as a matter of urgency declare the state of emergency on insecurity in Nigeria.
It also urged Buhari to consider and implement “the recommendations of the Senate ad-Hoc Committee on Nigeria’s Security Challenges dated March 17, 2020 and Senate Resolutions therefrom, as a holistic response to the mounting security challenges across the country.”
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