Insecurity: National Assembly’s Resolutions No Longer Effective, Deputy Speaker Decries

Ahmed Wase, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase, on Wednesday, decried that the Executive arm of the Federal Government does not recognize and implement resolutions passed by the parliament, particularly on the security crises in different parts of Nigeria.

This was made known by Wase during the debate on a motion of urgent public importance moved by Solomon Maren from Plateau State on the recent kidnapping of some traditional rulers from his constituency.

The Deputy Speaker, who decried the killings and kidnappings across the country, said, “I beg to speak on this particular issue based on the barbaric acts happening in Plateau. When Honourable Maren came to me about this motion, I told him, ‘What is happening in your constituency, compared to my own constituency…and I showed him the numbers of the videos and the pictures in my constituency.’

“I presented three motions so far to this floor on this particular matter and the House has also taken very fast resolutions as to what it would take to resolve the matter. But unfortunately, we are moving into the raining season now and there is virtually not one or two days passed in my constituency without kidnapping and taking of ransom from villagers who go out to suffer to make their living, taking ransom not less than N10m. I am so pained. It is painful and every Nigerian should be concerned about what is happening.”

Wase added, “I want to tell you, Mr. Speaker, and tell the House that as of today, I have lost people even after these kidnappers take money. I have lost close to five people. These kidnappers take the demanded ransom and then kill the people.

“These kidnappings take place where you have a small security presence; they will go there, shoot sporadically and abduct people and go away. Not more than three to four days ago, we lost close to a thousand cows in my own constituency. Kidnappers came, rustled the cows from their cages, and ran away with them, and the villagers and our locals left.

“I am sincerely pained that after the resolutions of the House urging these peace agencies to put out formation in some of these areas so that we will be able to stop these unpleasant situations, till this moment nothing has happened. It shows that the resolutions of the House are not taking any effect on all these unpleasant killings and kidnappings. If the resolutions of the House had been taken seriously, by now all these would have stopped.”

Maren had moved the motion titled, ‘Urgent Need to Rescue Traditional Rulers of Panyam District and Abate Incessant Spate of Kidnappings and Banditry in Mangu/Bokkos Federal Constituency and Other Parts of Plateau State and Nigeria as Whole.’

Maren prayed the House to urge the Federal Government to direct the Inspector-General of Police, the Chief of Defense Staff, and other relevant security agencies to “immediately do everything possible to ensure the safe release of the monarch and many others in kidnappers’ captivity across the country, including victims of Kaduna train attack.”

The lawmaker also prayed the House to mandate the Committees on Police Affairs and Army to invite the IGP and the Chief of Army Staff, “with the view to investigating the matter and report back to the House within two weeks for further legislative action.”

Maren noted that bandits numbering dozens abducted the District Head of Panyam in Plateau State, Aminu Derwan, during an attack on the traditional ruler’s residence in Panyam, the Mangu Local Government Area, after terrifying residence with gunshots in the early hours of Monday.