Senate Concurs with House, Rejects Operation Positive Identification

The Senate yesterday supported the House of Representatives and rejected the ‘Operation Positive Identification’ exercise being planned across the country planned by the Nigerian Army.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, who made this disclosure to journalists in his office, added that the joint National Assembly Committee on Army had summoned the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, to appear before the lawmakers today to explain the modalities for the implementation of the exercise.

He said such exercise was not acceptable to the federal lawmakers being the true representatives of the people.

“Although the Chief of Army Staff had described the alert as fake but as representatives of the people, we have summoned him to come and clarify it to Nigerians.

“As representatives of the people, we will not support any action or policy that would either cause inconveniences for Nigerians or tamper with their fundamental human rights which include freedom of movement.

“A similar exercise was done in the North-East and the people did not complain simply because the area is suffering great insurgency. It is not the case with other parts of the country.

“I support the idea of having every Nigerian having identification cards but anything that would cause any form of inconveniences for our people is not acceptable and would be vehemently resisted by us in the National Assembly.”