The Senate has summoned security chiefs and others in connection with the Christmas Eve killings in Plateau State.
The Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, the Director General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi, and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu have all been summoned.
This action was prompted by a motion introduced by Senator Adams Oshiomhole at plenary on Saturday.
He said they have to give adequate explanation on the inadequate intelligence, asserting that Nigerians are angry with them, hence the need to invite the security chiefs to brief the Senate on the exact situation in a closed session.
The motion was seconded by Senator Sumaila Kawu.
The Senate lamented the incessant attacks by criminals on communities in Plateau State, raising the need for a National security summit.
The upper chamber delved into the debate on the killings in Plateau State in a motion moved by Senator Diket Plang.
After the debate, the Senate resolved to observe a minute silence in honour of the victims. The lawmakers also resolved to send a high powered delegation led by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, to visit and condole with the victims.
The lawmakers also urge the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to direct its agencies to provide relief materials, especially building materials to the victims of the crisis with immediate effect, to enable them relocate back to their homes and decongest the internally displaced persons’ camps.
They also urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to complete the Mopol Barracks situated in Barkin Ladi local Government Area.
In an amended prayer, the senate urge the Nigerian Military to deploy intelligence and aerial in the affected Local Government Areas of Plateau State and its environs.
Gunmen had stormed the over 15 communities in the Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas of the state on Christmas Eve, killing more than 190 people.
Several houses were set ablaze by the attackers on Sunday night. The gun-wielding and blood-curling men also looted farm produce and destroyed properties as they butchered the residents. No group has claimed responsibility for the tragic attack.
Condemnations
The recent attack attracted wide condemnations from within and outside Nigeria, including President Bola Tinubu as well as the United Nations.
In his reaction on Tuesday, President Tinubu described the attack as heinous and ordered security agencies to arrest the perpetrators.
“President Tinubu directs security agencies to immediately move in, scour every stretch of the zone, and apprehend the culprits,” the President said in a statement by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale.
The President also directed the “immediate mobilisation of relief resources for surviving victims of the primitive and cruel attacks as well as medical treatment for the wounded.”
“While condoling with the government and the people of Plateau State, President Tinubu assures Nigerians that these envoys of death, pain, and sorrow will not escape justice.”
Also reacting to the heinous attack, the UN human rights chief said Thursday he was “deeply alarmed.”
“I am deeply alarmed by the series of attacks by gunmen on multiple rural communities in Plateau State,” UN rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement.
“I call on the Nigerian authorities to investigate this incident promptly, thoroughly and independently, consistent with international human rights law, and to hold those responsible to account in fair trials.
“The cycle of impunity fuelling recurrent violence must be urgently broken. The government should also take meaningful steps to address the underlying root causes and to ensure non-recurrence of this devastating violence.”
VP Shettima Visits Displaced Victims
Vice President Kashim Shettima, on Wednesday, visited displaced victims of the attack in Bokkos.
The VP, who was on an on-the-spot assessment of the affected communities.
was received at the airport by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; alongside the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa; Governor Caleb Mutfwang; former Governors Simon Lalong and Joshua Dariye.
The VP also visited displaced persons who converged on the mini-stadium in the Bokkos LGA.
Mostly women and children, the displaced persons recounted how they were attacked by gunmen who set their houses ablaze and killed over 100 of their loved ones in coordinated attacks on Christmas Eve. The attacks were recorded in communities in the Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi LGAs.
Police Set Up Special Squad
During his visit to Plateau State on Friday, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, disclosed that the police has set up a Special Operation Squad which will commence work immediately as part of the intervention to address insecurity in the state.
“More deployment of our tactical unit will be made. We are deploying our tactical unit to assist you; we are deploying our intelligence unit. When you see the IGP visiting with DIG operations and DIG intelligence accompanied by the DIG of the zone, you should know that we mean business.
“A special operation will commence immediately on the plateau. This special operation will form the nucleus of our special intervention squad, the last time I visited you, I told you about our intention to set up a special intervention squad in ten pilot states in Nigeria and Plateau State is one.
“So with this special operation that is commencing today, we are technically flagging off the commencement of the operation of our special intervention squad,” IGP Egbetokun said.