A bid by some senators to instigate a vote of no confidence on the President was, however, forced down by the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, who with the assistance of the Senate leadership mollified the angry senators.
Senator Mark was pushed to promise a face to face meeting with the President on the issue as a way of mollifying the anger of the senators. Senators who spoke during the closed door session to address the insecurity caused by activities of the Boko Haram group flayed what was described as the incompetence of government officials to arrest the situation.
The senators observed what they described as the extended time it was taking the government to decisively stop the killings and destruction of property through terrorist activities.
A source told Vanguard that Senate President, David Mark who presided over the close door session had to calm the senators down and assured that the best way out of the insecurity situation is for the Senate to have a face to face meeting with Jonathan to get first hand information on the activities of government towards tackling terrorism.
Beside the two hour closed session, Senate Committees on Defence, Police Affairs, Navy, Air Force, National Security and Intelligence and Interior also held another special meeting after the close of plenary session with focus on engaging the security chiefs on the ways to address the problem of terrorism.
Security situation
Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe who spoke to journalists at the end of yesterday’s sitting said the session offered the Senate time to review security situation in the country and efforts made by government to address the problems.
He said: “The executive session was mainly concerned with matters of national security. All of us are aware of the situation of things today in Nigeria and we want to also let you know that the National Assembly will continue to engage with the executives with regards to national security.
“I think the discussion is on-going to ensure that each and every one of us lives in Nigeria that is free from the current problem that we are undergoing and we hope that every Nigerian will be more concerned about our security and that is exactly what we are doing.”
Senator Abaribe added that the meeting also involved reappraisal of methods used by the security operatives and issues of equipment for dealing with the new trend of terrorism.
He noted that the Senate also discussed the need to change the format of security machinery in the country and to replace them with highly sophisticated ones.
Abaribe said: “This discussion has been on-going and part of what we did today at the executive session was a review of all these measures that are being taken. I do not think that any measure that is being taken is taken very lightly. I think that the security agencies are doing good jobs. I don’t think they only look under the cars, they also look at the booth, sometimes asking you to step out and they open the bonnet and check everything.
“I think also that there is an ongoing review which means that the measures will continue to be upgraded and improved with time. We are asking for a little patience and we know that things will get better. This is a new phenomenon that has just come to Nigeria and I am sure that the security agencies will handle the situation with time,” he noted.
He confirmed that the various committees of the Senate would engage the security agencies for further discussions and report back to the Senate.
“The fact that we had an executive session and spent all this time is better than a motion because at a public debate, everything comes out. We wanted to have a full and quiet discussion on security matters and that you cannot do in front of cameras.”
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/11/boko-haram-senators-in-angry-brawl-over-jonathan/
Senator Mark was pushed to promise a face to face meeting with the President on the issue as a way of mollifying the anger of the senators. Senators who spoke during the closed door session to address the insecurity caused by activities of the Boko Haram group flayed what was described as the incompetence of government officials to arrest the situation.
The senators observed what they described as the extended time it was taking the government to decisively stop the killings and destruction of property through terrorist activities.
A source told Vanguard that Senate President, David Mark who presided over the close door session had to calm the senators down and assured that the best way out of the insecurity situation is for the Senate to have a face to face meeting with Jonathan to get first hand information on the activities of government towards tackling terrorism.
Beside the two hour closed session, Senate Committees on Defence, Police Affairs, Navy, Air Force, National Security and Intelligence and Interior also held another special meeting after the close of plenary session with focus on engaging the security chiefs on the ways to address the problem of terrorism.
Security situation
Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe who spoke to journalists at the end of yesterday’s sitting said the session offered the Senate time to review security situation in the country and efforts made by government to address the problems.
He said: “The executive session was mainly concerned with matters of national security. All of us are aware of the situation of things today in Nigeria and we want to also let you know that the National Assembly will continue to engage with the executives with regards to national security.
“I think the discussion is on-going to ensure that each and every one of us lives in Nigeria that is free from the current problem that we are undergoing and we hope that every Nigerian will be more concerned about our security and that is exactly what we are doing.”
Senator Abaribe added that the meeting also involved reappraisal of methods used by the security operatives and issues of equipment for dealing with the new trend of terrorism.
He noted that the Senate also discussed the need to change the format of security machinery in the country and to replace them with highly sophisticated ones.
Abaribe said: “This discussion has been on-going and part of what we did today at the executive session was a review of all these measures that are being taken. I do not think that any measure that is being taken is taken very lightly. I think that the security agencies are doing good jobs. I don’t think they only look under the cars, they also look at the booth, sometimes asking you to step out and they open the bonnet and check everything.
“I think also that there is an ongoing review which means that the measures will continue to be upgraded and improved with time. We are asking for a little patience and we know that things will get better. This is a new phenomenon that has just come to Nigeria and I am sure that the security agencies will handle the situation with time,” he noted.
He confirmed that the various committees of the Senate would engage the security agencies for further discussions and report back to the Senate.
“The fact that we had an executive session and spent all this time is better than a motion because at a public debate, everything comes out. We wanted to have a full and quiet discussion on security matters and that you cannot do in front of cameras.”
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/11/boko-haram-senators-in-angry-brawl-over-jonathan/
Odinaka 1
ReplyDeleteCollapse Expand So they have now woken up! Maybe one of their Mallam friends abroad or Imams there just told them about insecurity in Nigeria. A Pity! And why must anybody arrange to talk to Jonathan?
Paul Obam Ominyi
ReplyDeleteCollapse Expand We're all in Nigeria together. They are now getting worried not because of the common man on the street but because they now know that their houses, cars, assets & family members are no longer safe because of insecurity. Security officials keep saying that they are on top of the situation when they know they are not. Lack of security is the beginning of wisdom. I am laughing, not at the innocent that have lost their lives or those that have lost loved ones but at our so-called leaders who are suddenly waking up to the reality starring Nigeria in the face.
up9ja
ReplyDeleteCollapse Expand to our senators... its not time to pass on the blame, rather its time to sit up... there is nothing a frustrated youth can't do... think of any evil he is capable of doing it... so rather than spend hours mouth lashing the president they should look inwards to see how they have failed the good people of this country and try to fix their wrongs... but if they fail... am afraid the worst is yet to come... the kidnappings, the "bokoharamings" and other social vices would always be here with us..."THE YOUTHS ARE ANGRY"
larrytruth
ReplyDeleteCollapse Expand @ Abdulahi- I think late Yar Adua gave amnesty 1. to pacify Niger deltans after what Late Sanni Abacha did to Ken Saro-wiwa. After all Abubakar/IBB put OBJ in power to pacify south west. 2. He (Yar adua), did that also because no leader wants his house to be on fire or ungovernable. 3. For Nigeria to run smoothly, it needs money; so Yar Adua needed oil money to do the business of governance. And the source is Niger delta. So what is at stake now for Oga Jonathan? He's (Jonathan) once summarised it for Nigerians "terrosism is a global phenomenon, not a Nigeria problem". In other words, in a way he is saying ' don't hang me for Boko Haram trouble'.
michaelod
ReplyDeleteExpand Boko Haram is a terrorist group and the activities of terrorist groups cannot be treated with kid gloves. It is a world’s problem. It took America and its allies several years to capture Osama Bin Laden and bring down the government of Saddam Hussein and Gaddafi. These are identified terrorists. The case of terrorism in Nigeria is an unidentified one. If you are the President of Nigeria, how do you tackle it? Have you ever ask yourself this question? It is unfortunate that Nigerians never handle any situation with broad mind rather than their selfish interest. The Boko Haram that we have now is different from the former. The former had a leader but the later has no face at all. Who do dialogue with or arrest. If you arrest those who promised to make Nigeria ungovernable without substantive evidences, Human Right Intern’l will accuse the President of human right abuses. Sectional and tribal interest will come to play and the end may still not be good for Nigeria. The NASS member should be ashamed of themselves for not proffering solution to the security challenges in the country when there is a committee on security in the NASS. Such committee should be disbanded and new one put in place. If the NASS gives the President the power to arrest anybody, no matter how highly placed, who is found to have hand in the financing of the deadly Boko Haram, the President will act accordingly. The Northern leaders has the answer to Boko Haram activities because they are the sponsors
banks111, Political junkie
ReplyDeleteI have a good idea that the president would enjoy very much since it is up his alley of pump and pageantry with no substance.
I would recomend that he confers awards on the boko haram leaders. A few KONs, (killer of Nigerians, DONs (destroyer of the nation) TDY (terrorist of the year) backed up with a few million naira here and there, they will go away and join the merry wagon of PDP (the people destroyer party)
amaken
ReplyDeleteThaz a good food 4 tots, & 4 dry laughter! They won't even know the meaning being the illiterates they are. But they may need it translated into arabic since they hate western letters. They don't know that arabic education is a worse form of imperialism.
butterfly, born 29 july 1
ReplyDeleteBut, and a very big and capital "But' for the respect I have for the sanctity of life and my belief in the commonality of life, I would have advised Mr. President to ignore the nattering nabobs of negativism called Senators, especially those of northern extraction. What has made them to so suddenly convert from applauding the terrorists to complaining against acts of terrorism. When they, northerners were planting the seeds of bokoharam, didn't they envisage a scenario where there would be unintended fall outs? The Bible teaches that those who wield the sword will die by the sword. Those northerners who are using bokoharam to kill southerners, burn Christian churches and bomb Abuja because they want to make Nigeria ungovernable for Jonathan will be killed by the same bokoharam when Jonathan is no more a reason. What should Mr. President tell the Senators? To the Northern senators, let them go to hell.
itsene
ReplyDeleteSenators who spoke...
No names provided. Vanguard is playing games again. I am losing faith!
chekwube chukwu, nothing
ReplyDeleteSome of those making the noises are members/sponsors of Boko Haram,the are just trying their luck on how to grab power,it's still the same click that was calling the shots,deceiving themselves and not the world that Yarsdua was alive whilst he was long dead.