In senate gist today, cries of marginalisation by the north-east geo-political zone re-echoes alongside the recent suicide bomb blast in Borno
- Senate condemns bombing in Borno State
Following the multiple bomb blasts by an alleged female suicide bomber suspected to be a member of the boko haram terrorist group, the Senate has urged the federal government to direct security agencies in the country to deploy the use of modern technology in the fight against insurgency and to make concerted efforts in securing the hot spots inhabited by the insurgents, namely, the Lake Chad region, Sambisa forest and Mandara mountains, respectively.
Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) through a motion of urgent national importance, lamented the suicide attacks in Gwoza, Borno State, on Saturday 29th June 2024, that claimed the lives of 32 people, leaving other victims injured. According to him, these attacks have raised significant concerns about the security situation in the region, which has been a flash point of terrorist attacks over the years.
An additional prayer for the Senate to oversee and monitor security budget aimed to purchase weapons and materials needed to combat insecurity was rejected. Rather, the senate called for a concerted and coordinated effort of the security agencies to address the state of insecurity in Borno State and other parts of the country, experiencing similar situations.
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- Echoes of north-east marginalisation
The Senate has requested the federal government to include the north-east geopolitical zone in its ‘renewed hope legacy road projects.’ This resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Danjuma Goje (PDP, Gombe Central) decrying the marginalisation of the zone which was also evident on the map released by the works ministry. The Calabar-Makurdi-Jalingo-Yola-Maiduguri highway was specifically mentioned to be included so as to integrate the north-east into the renewed hope legacy plan.