Provide Special Security For School and Health Institutions In North East – Senate Defence Committee Ordered Army

The Nigeria Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Kenneth  Minimah was ordered this morning to provide special security for all schools and health institutions in the Boko Haram affected areas of the North East.

The order was passed down to the army chief at a budget hearing this morning by the Committee .
The Committee chaired by Senator George Thompson Sekibo suspended its budget hearing when Senator Babafemi OJUDU from Ekiti Central raised a point of order calling the attention of the Committee to the killing of 59 students in a school in Yobe state in the early hours of yesterday. Senator OJUDU said it was embarrassing that the military did not pick up intelligence on the attack before it happened and also failed to be informed for five good hours the attack took place. The nation he said cannot fold its arm and watch its future destroyed. He said the North East calls for special attention and we should not be seating down here in Abuja discussing budget while our young ones are being slaughtered in cold blood.

The motion by Senator Ojudu was seconded by Senator Jubrilla Bindo, Vice Chairman of the Committee. Senator Gbenga Obadara from Ogun State said something has to be done urgently to stem the tide of killings in the North East. After a fairly long debate the Committee came to a resolution that the army chief should proceed immediately to Maiduguri and Yobe and give special protection to the school and hospitals in the three affected states.
Today’s budget scrutinizing  process was therefore suspended till a later date to enable the army chief carry out the directive.
Responding General Minimah thanks the Committee for its concern and assured it that it would do everything possible to halt the trend.” … it will be the last of such from the insurgents “, he assured the Committee.

Text of Resolution Passed:

Resolutions
Senate Committee on Defence and Army
February 26, 2014.

1. Condemns the atrocity being unleashed by the Boko Haram element on innocent citizens of the country, especially in the North Eastern part of the country.  We regret what happened yesterday in the killing of innocent students in cold blood.

2. The Committee on Defence and Army has by this issued a directive that the Chief of Army Staff take the following actions;

a. Re-strategize on possible new ways of curbing these excesses.
b. Mobilise all available military resources and face the insurgencies.
c. We heard of your planned relocation to Maiduguri, we hereby as the Committee overseeing your activities, direct that your office relocate temporary to the 7th Division in Maiduguri and that you take urgent and appropriate steps to quell the situation.
d. From today all schools and health institutions should be provided with special security, as we do not want a repeat of these killings of our innocent citizens.

3. Because of the situation, the Committee will receive your budget proposal without going through the lives as no one goes to the town square to dance when there is fire in his house.  For us the quelling of this insurgency and giving confidence of safety to Nigerians is of utmost priority.

4. The Committee on Defence and Army hereby invites the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to mobilise all needed resources for the Armed Forces to face this national challenge, as this battle must be won to sustain our nation’s stability and unity as it is only in the atmosphere of peace and tranquillity that development can be carried out.

5. The Senate Committee on Defence and Army will take a tour of the three affected states when Senate resumes for plenary.

6. We wish u well.