The House of Representatives on Thursday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to appear before it and address Nigerians on the spate of insecurity across the country.
The lower chamber of the National Assembly said failure by the President to explain the issues raised by the legislative house would confirm the opinion of Nigerians that the administration had failed in its responsibility to protect lives and property.
This is part of the resolutions passed at the plenary when the lawmakers unanimously adopted a motion moved by the lawmaker representing Gwer-East/Gwer-West Federal Constituency in Benue State, Mr Mark Gbillah.
The motion was entitled, ‘Resurgence of the incessant and annual massacre of innocent Nigerians across the country by alleged bandits and killer herdsmen, the gradual occupation of affected communities by these attackers and the lack of adequate rehabilitation and relief materials.’
Adopting the motion, which was not debated, the lawmakers resolved to “request that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to address the House and the entire nation within 48 hours.”
Buhari is expected to make some explanations to Nigerians on “his inability and the inability of his administration, since inception, to declare the killer herdsmen as terrorists, to enable the Armed Forces to take commensurate action against them.
“The inability of the Armed Forces under his watch to stop the recurring death of scores of innocent Nigerians annually from systemic attacks by killer herdsmen and alleged bandits, and the gradual occupation of the affected communities by these herdsmen despite countless assurances and statements by him, promising to stop these attacks.
“His selective and ineffective responses to the killing of Nigerians by herdsmen, especially when they occur in certain parts of the country like Benue State.
“The immediate measures he intends to employ as the Commander-in-Chief to provide the Armed Forces, including the police, with the required resources (equipment and welfare, etc) to confront and dislodge the killer herdsmen from their known hideouts, establishment of permanent presence in immediate proximity to affected communities and provide a timeline within which these attacks by killer herdsmen and alleged bandits will be curtailed, so Nigerians can return to their ancestral homes and means of livelihood.”
The House further resolved to constitute an ad hoc committee to interface with the Presidency regarding the queries, while it would engage with the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali; Chief of Defence Staff and service chiefs, state governments and relevant stakeholders.
The engagement, the lawmakers resolved, would be done “in a public hearing to determine permanent solutions to the killing of innocent Nigerians by killer herdsmen and alleged bandits, including the complicity of any Nigerian or group in the perpetration of these killings and land grabbing.”
