Reps summon Buhari over killings

The House of Representatives yesterday resolved to invite President Muhammadu Buhari to brief lawmakers on circumstances leading to the killings of hundreds of Nigerians in parts of the country.

The House said the President, being the commander-in-chief, should be able to provide answers to why government has allowed innocent Nigerians to be killed unabated by suspected killer herdsmen, armed robbers and other bandits.

The lawmakers deliberated on a motion by Mark Terseer Gbillah (APC, Benue) pertaining the Tuesday killings of two priests and 17 others in Ayar-Mbalom village of Gwer East Local Government of Benue State.

The lawmakers also asked the President to declare all killer herdsmen as terrorists, while cattle breeders should be duly registered.

They declared a vote of no confidence on service chiefs and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, asking the president to sack them immediately.

As a mark of protest to the killings and in order for the government to take urgent actions, the lawmakers resolved to suspend plenary for three legislative days.

They equally mandated all relevant security committees to investigate such attacks and turn in their reports in two weeks.

The House urged the president to direct the security agencies to deploy requisite amount of personnel and equipment to the identified locations of armed bandits to flush them out.

The lawmakers said the military should also establish permanent bases in the affected communities in Benue State within seven days, calling on Army to ensure that no extrajudicial or unconstitutional actions are taken against five persons in their custody, who were arrested last week.

In his contribution, Musa Sarkin Adar (APC, Sokoto) said: “This isn’t the first or second time that we’ll be discussing here. We set up panels, but we’re yet to get any report. I don’t know anywhere in the country that you can travel 100km without fear of being killed.”