... FG, security agencies to blame - Reps

Members of the House of Representatives yesterday blamed the Federal Government and the security forces for the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State, a fortnight ago.

The House spent 3 hours yesterday debating the abduction of the girls, which lawmakers said was “very shameful, sad and unfortunate” for the country that boasts of being the “giant of Africa.”

Following the debate, the House unanimously agreed to engage the service chiefs for a briefing about efforts being made to find the abducted girls.

The House called on the Federal Government to engage sub-regional, regional and international organisations to assist the Nigerian Army in tackling insurgency.

The lawmakers also urged the security agencies to expedite action towards rescuing the girls unharmed.

The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion moved by Rep Peter Biye Gumtha (APC, Borno) on abducted girls of the Government Secondary School, Chibok.

Gumtha said the poor state of “Mbalala-Chibok-Damboa road has continued to hinder the rescue effort from the sector command at Damboa and Askira.”

In his contribution, Rep Farouk Lawan (PDP, Kano) asked his colleagues to ponder for “30 seconds and imagine if one of the abducted children were his/her daughter, how would you feel, since all of us are parents?”

He said efforts by the government towards rescuing the girls were not enough.

Rep Mohammed Monguno, who represents Marte/Monguno federal constituency of Borno State, accused security personnel of ignoring him when he alerted them last week over the sighting of some of the abducted girls in his constituency.