President, Bukola Saraki on Tuesday vowed that the Senate will
continue to hold the Federal Government accountable.
He said the aim was to ensure the security of all Nigerians.
He said this while addressing his colleagues as they resumed plenary
on the floor of the upper legislative chambers.
Saraki also assured Nigerians that the senate will collaborate with
security agencies to ensure adequate security across the country.
According to Saraki, "Distinguished colleagues, the foregoing
represents something of a recap of the journey so far, and also, in a
sense, maps out the challenges ahead of us, which we must face
head-on. We are resuming plenary today under a pall of national
anxiety and apprehension over the state of insecurity in the country.
We have been alarmed at so many senseless killings of Nigerians, with
the high number of casualties in Plateau being among the most
egregious of late.
"In the wake of the atrocity, I led a Senate delegation to pay a
condolence visit to the Governor of Plateau State and to commiserate
with the people of the state. As always, our sympathies are with those
who have lost loved ones in these acts of barbarity, and we reaffirm
our commitment to ensuring peace and security in our country.
"As you all know, we held a Security Summit some months back,
specifically to address the rising insecurity and to work out
strategies in collaboration with security agencies on safeguarding
Nigerian lives. Furthermore, we set up the Ad-Hoc Committee on the
Review of Security Infrastructure in Nigeria, chaired by Senate Leader
Ahmed Lawan; and we must now take steps to consider the Report of that
committee and take forward the recommendations therein as may be
appropriate. Events have shown that we were right to take these steps
in response to the security challenges facing the nation at this time.
"Let me reassure Nigerians that we are as concerned as they are in the
face of this challenge; and we continue to hold government
accountable, in order to see to improvement in this area. In addition
to the Security Summit earlier mentioned, we held briefings with
Security Chiefs in a bid to better understand the problems; and have
urged them to table their requests for more funds, so that the
legislature can work on that aspect as well, to better equip the
security forces to protect lives and property.
"Through our oversight functions, we can ensure the proper utilization
of such funds and see to it that we have full accountability in the
management of the current security crisis.
"I must say, once again, that the responsibility for ensuring security
rests with each and every one of us. Issues of criminality are
involved in these heinous acts, and the vigilance of community leaders
and the average citizen is crucial, to assist the security agencies do
their job. For us as the Senate, it does seem that these issues are
also an indication that it is time to revisit the issue of State
Police; and to devise a framework for the mopping up of the 350
million pieces of light weapons estimated to be in circulation within
our borders – an alarming ratio of three weapons to one person."
0 Comments