National Assembly to engage security agencies over Kaduna killings

Senate leader advocates recruitment of security personnel

TRACKING___President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, disclosed yesterday that the National Assembly would engage security agencies in the country to upscale operations in hot spots to avert the killings in Kaduna South.

Lawan gave the assurance in his remarks following a point of order raised by Senator Danjuma La’ah (PDP, Kaduna South) during plenary. La’ah, who cited Order 43 of the Senate Standing Rules to draw attention to the killings in his constituency, lamented that armed bandits had made killings in the area routine.

“It has become a very serious matter that many people are being killed. The situation is very embarrassing and I’m pleading with the National Assembly to request the Federal Government to send the police and army to protect the lives of my people and their property,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lawan has referred President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for the confirmation of John Usanga (Akwa Ibom) and Air Cdre. Peter Gana (rtd.) from Niger as non-career ambassadors to the committee on foreign affairs for screening.

GIVING express approval to all security agencies to recruit more personnel, according to Senate Minority Leader, Emmanuel Bwacha (PDP, Taraba South), will go a long way in addressing the security challenges in the country.

The lawmaker, who yesterday made the above suggestion while hosting media practitioners in his Marraba, Donga in Donga Council of Taraba State, hometown, beckoned President Buhari to grant approval to the leadership of all the security organisations for recruitment of more capable hands.

In doing that, he believed that the security situation giving Nigerians sleepless nights would abate. “With the current security situation in the country, there is need to recruit more men into the army, police, civil defence, Department of State Services (DSS) and paramilitary agencies to confront the security challenges,” he said.

Apart from Taraba, Bwacha noted that there was insecurity in almost every part of the country, a situation which he said had overstretched security agencies in the country.He said, “More security personnel are needed to deal with insurgency in Borno and Yobe states as well as bandits in Sokoto, Zamfara and Katsina states.

“Kaduna, Niger and Plateau states are also facing insecurity problems.” He also suggested adequate training of the security personnel and procurement of modern weapons to address the security challenges, adding that Nigeria was in dire need of prayers for over the current situation.