Boko Haram has metamorphosed from a group of religious zealots into an industry. It is an industry because what they do is not religious. They have people from different faiths and countries who are part of Boko Haram.
President of the Nigerian Senate, Ahmad Lawan, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, will meet with President Muhammadu Buhari to discuss security challenges arising from the activities of Boko Haram insurgents and bandits in parts of the country.
The resolution for the meeting was reached after the Senate considered a motion on the resurgence of killings in Borno North by Boko Haram insurgents.
The motion was sponsored by Senator Abubakar Kyari (APC – Borno North); and Co-sponsored by Senators Kashim Shettima (APC – Borno Central); and Ali Ndume (APC – Borno South).
Kyari while relying on order 42 and 52 of the Senate standing rules, lamented the killing of ninety persons – which included women and children – on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, by Boko Haram insurgents following an attack on Foduma Kolum Village under Gubio Local Government Area.
The lawmaker, who further bemoaned the resurgence of what he described as “senseless killings” by the insurgents in recent weeks, said 17 people were killed in Gajiagana, Magimeri Local Government Area on 17th May, 2020; and another 33 persons killed in Nganzai Local Government Area on 22nd May, 2020.
Lawan in his remarks said, “Boko Haram has metamorphosed from a group of religious zealots into an industry. It is an industry because what they do is not religious. They have people from different faiths and countries who are part of Boko Haram.
“This Senate passed so many resolutions including the reports of the various Ad-Hoc Committees we set up on Security but the problem persists.
“I don’t want to say meeting the President is something that we have to reveal if we do, but of course it is natural that issues like this will be of interest for us to discuss with the President, and we have been doing that.
“What is necessary is for us to persist. Our Armed Forces have their challenges, and therefore, we will continue to look at those challenges and try to address them.
“Where however anybody is found wanting, our stand should be that people should occupy offices based on their performance.
“There’s no point if somebody is not registering successes for such person to continue to be there, but that is if you give that person the necessary tools to fight. So, we should give them the necessary tools and then we hold them accountable.
“We will do that in addition to of course meeting Mr President, it is not going to be the Senate President, I’ll make sure that I have my colleague in the House of Representatives because this is a national question.”