Senate pledges commitment to end terrorism

TRACKING>>Senate President, Ahmad Lawan yesterday restated determination of the Ninth National Assembly to find lasting solutions to the terrorism and insecurity in the country in collaboration with the executive arm of government.

Lawan stated this in Malumfashi, Katsina State, at the constituency empowerment programme sponsored by representative of Funtua Senatorial District, Bello Mandiya.

In a statement issued by his media office in Abuja, Lawan commiserated with the people of Katsina State over the recent attacks by bandits.

“I assure you that we will continue to work with President Muhammadu Buhari till we to find lasting solutions to the insecurity in our country.

“We will also ensure that government provides infrastructure across the country that will make life meaningful for all Nigerians,” Lawan said.

At the occasion, which was also attended by Governor Aminu Bello Masari, he (Lawan) applauded Mandiya for empowering his constituents through the initiative and assured him of his continued support.

“Today, we are supporting a young man, who has been supported by the people of Funtua zone. Senator Bello Mandiya has been a loyal, committed and reliable lawmaker.

“I want to inform his Senatorial District that in Mandiya, you have found a worthy successor to Abu Ibrahim. They say the young shall grow. This young Senator will grow rapidly because he has good hands taking care of him.

“For me, I remain committed to ensuring Mandiya succeeds, grows and matures into a great Senator,” Lawan said.

Besides, Senate Committee Chairman on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP Delta North) has named Ike Ekweremadu (Enugu West) and James Manager (Delta South), as bona fide ‘indigenes’ of the National Assembly, having spent 17 years in the Senate.

The duo, who are also members of the committee came late for the consideration of NDDC’s 2019 Budget, which was stalemated due to some crises in the commission.

The meeting was convened last week for the NDDC to present its 2019 budget proposal to the committee when Ekerenmadu and Manager came for the exercise, where the Chairman announced the arrival of those he described as “indigenes of the National Assembly.”

Meanwhile, the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to see his being booed in Borno State as a wake-up call to do the needful by rejigging the country’s security architecture with a view to ending insurgency in the North East.

President Buhari had visited Borno to commiserate with families of victims of Boko Haram attack at a military checkpoint where 30 persons were killed.

The people of the state who were not happy with the incident lined up the street chanting ‘ba ma so, Ba maiyi’ as against the usual ‘Baba Oyoyo,’ embarrassed the President.

“More than anything, the forum views the action of the people as representing their growing disenchantment with Federal Government’s poor handling of the country’s security challenges.

“The forum notes with regret the recent booing of the President by Borno people when he visited Maiduguri to commiserate with the state over the unfortunate incident.”

“The leadership of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) is shocked at the recent killings of no fewer than 30 persons, who were stranded at a military checkpoint in Auno, a suburb of Maiduguri, by Boko Haram terrorists, which also resulted in destruction of vehicles and property

In a statement issued by its National President, Dr. Pogu Bitrus, the group therefore, canvassed immediate overhaul of the country’s security architecture to save the situation from deteriorating further.