The speaker of the House, Rep Abbas has said tackling the rising insecurity in the country would require the adoption of new approaches and strategies.
The speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas (APC, Kaduna) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to demand greater performance and responsibility from the service chiefs and the adoption of new approaches to tackling the widespread insecurity plaguing the country.
He said this at the plenary on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, while giving a speech to welcome members of the House after a 30-day recess.
This is their first resumption in 2024 after the earlier scheduled January 23 date was extended by one week.
However, addressing the lawmakers, Rep Abbas observed that multiple efforts in the past to curtail insecurity across the geopolitical zones have failed as Nigerians continue to suffer the hardship caused by kidnapping, increasing violence, and attacks.
He highlighted the death of Folorunsho Ariyo and Nabeeha Al-Kadriyah, two girls who were abducted in Abuja, after armed men in military uniform invaded Sagwari Layout Estate in Dutse, in Bwari Area Council, on January 7, 2024.
The men had abducted nine persons, including a mother and her four children.
Rep Abbas said the persistence of violence in the country is a mockery of the executive and legislative efforts to curb the situation, noting that the adoption of new approaches has become pertinent.
He urged the president, Bola Tinubu to compel service chiefs and security agencies to intensify their effort and produce visible results.
He said, “For two long, Nigeria has been caught in the vicious grip of insecurity, a menace that has spread both far and wide, sparing no one in its way. Despite multiple security measures, the menace continues to thrive, mocking our efforts, and challenging our resolve to build a cohesive, peaceful, and prosperous country.
“Our foundational approach to insecurity is no longer sufficient and it has become important to adopt new and contemporary approaches.
“To our security forces, while commending your heroism and sacrifices, the time has come for you to review your approaches and strategies to protect the lives and properties of our people.
“It is also time for President Bola Tinubu to demand greater performance and responsibility from our service chiefs, security, and government agencies. I urged the president not to shy away from making tough decisions. He must not hesitate to make necessary changes within our security apparatus as inaction would only cost us greatly.”
OrderPaper had rightly predicted that the state of insecurity, among other issues, would be an issue to be raised at the resumption of the National Assembly. You can find our Legislative Intelligence Forecast Entry (LIFE) here.
STAR Check: Nigerians, particularly, constituents from Kaduna, can keep tabs on the legislative performance of the speaker throughout the 10th assembly here.
