The House of Representatives yesterday reconvened from its month-long Sallah recess, condemning the recent massacre in Plateau State. It consequently demanded that the culprits be fished out for punishment.
Adopting a motion sponsored by Istifanus Gyang (Barkin Ladi/Riyom Constituency) at a plenary presided over by Speaker Yakubu Dogara, the lower chamber of the National Assembly tasked the Federal Government to bring the masterminds to book.
Urging President Muhammadu Buhari to go beyond verbal condemnation of the attacks by taking decisive actions to stem the insecurity in the land, the House called for a coroner’s inquest and forensic examination of the weapons and ammunition used by the killers to determine the cause of deaths, calibre of persons and source of the equipment.
The chamber enjoined the executive arm to recapture the over 52 villages being allegedly occupied by herdsmen.The lawmakers, who stated that the killings were akin to the Rwandan genocide, urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) thrown up by the incidents.
The chamber, while charging its Committees on Army, Air Force, Police, National Security and Intelligence and Emergency and Disaster Preparedness to ensure the implementation of the resolutions and report back within three weeks for legislative action, pledged to revisit the constitution to empower states to establish state police for effective security and maintenance of law and order.
The lawmakers, who observed a minute silence for victims of the carnage, mandated Idris Wase (Plateau, APC) to assist security agencies in unearthing the culprits of the dastardly act. Wase, during his contribution, had claimed that he was privy to information that the attacks were politically motivated.
Dogara, in his welcome address, stated that history will be harsh to the present administration if it fails to stop the mass killings of innocent Nigerians.He noted that whatever achievement that is being recorded by the government would not be remembered if the orgy of violence continues.
