Senate to invite Pantami over spate of insecurity

The Senate has mandated its Committees on Legislative Compliance and Communications to invite the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, over spate of insecurity in the country.

The decision followed the consideration of a motion moved by the Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha (PDP – Taraba South) under Order 42 and 52 of the Senate Rules.

According to him, the rate of insecurity in Nigeria has not only increased astronomically, but has also reached a melting point.

He expressed worry over increasing kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery, assassination and other criminal activity in the country.

“The assassination of Nasarawa State APC Chairman and other high profile cases are still fresh in our memories. A Chinese National was recently abducted in my community, his whereabout is still unknown.

“There is growing suspicion of complicity of officials of state saddled with the responsibility of protecting lives and properties of the citizens, but compromised in the process.

“This is heightened by arrest of several security operatives involved in armed robbery and kidnapping activities across the country. It is only in Nigeria that communication facilities can be used without a biometric process, no valid identification of passport details (in the case of foreigners) in place to check abuse,” the lawmaker added.

“Bandits, terrorists negotiate for ransom using telephones and getting away with it. How can we be so negligent and insensitive to the safety and security of citizens?

“Senate is concerned that the confidence between the protected and the protector is being increasingly eroded resulting to breakdown of law and order as demonstrated in the #ENDSARS protest which was subsequently hijacked by miscreants.

“Further notes that political permutations across the landscape is attracting politicians to recruit criminals for the purpose of destabilizing the corporate existence of Nigeria.