The House of Representatives has invited leaders of Nigeria’s security agencies to an emergency meeting over the recent attacks on the Kaduna International Airport and the Abuja-Kaduna rail line.
After an extensive debate on the growing insecurity in Nigeria at the plenary on Tuesday, the House resolved that its leadership should meet with the heads of military and paramilitary agencies to discuss the security situation in the country.
Those to appear before the House include the National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.); Minister of Defence, Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd.); Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao; Director-General, Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi; Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba; Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika; Director-General, NCAA, Musa Nuhu; Managing Director, FAAN, Rabiu Yadudu; Managing Director, NAMA, Mathew Pwajok; and General Manager, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Fidet Okhiria.
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Ahmed Wase, who presided over the session, said the Committees on Aviation, National Security and Intelligence, Police Affairs, Army, Air Force, Defence and Land Transport are to work with the leadership on the probe.
“We beg that the invitation be sent as soon as possible. Hopefully, we will start the meeting from tomorrow (Wednesday),” Wase said.
The resolution was based on a motion of urgent public importance moved by the Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji, titled, ‘Urgent Need for the Federal Government to Investigate the Recent Attack at Kaduna International Airport and Reinforce Security Surveillance and Personnel in All the Nigerian Airports.’
Moving the motion, Nnaji recalled that about a year ago, bandits attacked the staff quarters of the FAAN at the Kaduna International Airport and abducted about 12 persons. He also recalled that on Friday, there was “a horrific” attack on the airport, leading to the death of a security guard working with NAMA.
The lawmaker expressed concern that the attacks on the airport might escalate to other airports across the country, if not prevented.
He said, “The House is worried that no one is safe to travel by air if positive steps are not taken urgently to safeguard our airports from bandits’ attacks, considering the international standards on airport security management as outlined by International Civil Aviation Organisation.”
Nnaji decried that while flights on the Kaduna route were being suspended over the attack on the airport, a train on the Abuja-Kaduna rail line was also attacked on Monday night, with the Nigerian Railway Corporation suspending train services on the route indefinitely.
The lawmaker stated, “What it means is that the only means of transportation now to Kaduna is the road. Definitely, if it happens in other places; if they start attacking our airports, the implication is that even the international airlines will stop coming to Nigeria. That is the implication.
“And the premium on our local airlines – the premium on their insurance – will go up and the implication is that (the cost of) air tickets will double. That is why I am asking that the leadership should come to our aid to see how we can solve this problem. It is not just a committee issue; it has to do with the entire House led by the leadership, to see how we can unravel this situation.”
During the debate, Leke Abejide made reference to a statement allegedly made by Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, asking the Armed Forces to bombard the forests housing the terrorists and flush them out.
Abejide partly said, “I just want to know whether these bandits live in hell or they live here on earth. If they are living within Nigerian territory, how come our military cannot locate where they are?”
“If you notice now, a former Governor of Zamfara State was shot yesterday in the process of this attack. A lady – a medical doctor – was killed that same yesterday in the same attack. Who knows who would be the next? Most of our colleagues here depend on that train from Abuja to Kaduna every week, to visit their constituencies. How long will we continue to be talking about the same problem?”
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The Majority Whip, Mohammed Monguno, said, “My suggestion is that, as part of our resolution, we should call on the executive arm of government to declare a state of emergency on the security sector.”
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Also speaking, Ahmed Munir said, “Let us clarify something that should be clear. We should stop calling them bandits and label them for what they are, terrorists.”
He also said, “The cowardly and dastardly acts that they are currently undertaking in our nation, as we speak now, to put a human context to it, we all have within this chamber – myself and everyone – friends or colleagues that are today missing from the attack yesterday.
“We have friends, colleagues, relatives and loved ones that are missing, among them, a seven-month pregnant lady that is along the way. So, let us look at it in that context. And it is time for us to move from the theoretical to practical.”
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Also, Aminu Suleiman said, “I never believed that this incident really happened. It surprises me and truly troubles me as a person that this thing could happen in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This thing that happened – that truly happened – actually challenged us as a nation.
“I think these bandits have taken these deliberate killings to the sovereignty of this country, far beyond what we can comprehend. So, we must accept collective failure.”
The lawmaker urged the House to “present a very formidable front” to prevent a recurrence of such attacks. “And for it not to happen, somebody somewhere must be held responsible,” he stated.
Suleiman also noted that, “It couldn’t have just been ordinary, that these people drive through the cities and challenge the security of our airport. It is not only reprehensible but also a display of general ineptitude on the part of the security (agencies) responsible for security in our airports.
“My vote is available for any action that will be taken or needs to be taken. We need to act very patriotically and ensure that somebody is held responsible and punished severely for this incident to serve as a deterrent.
“The road is almost becoming impassable. Rail is being threatened. Only a few of us go by road now – the comrades in the country; my colleagues and others fly. Therefore, if the air is also not safe, ordinarily I would have jubilated that they are coming to join us but we need them to be alive.”
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In his submission, Onofiok Luke stated that Nigerians must be safe before they can elect a new government.
Luke said, “It is saddening that we can witness a security breach to a point of infraction in the airport. It is quite saddening! We have had our train and our rail affected just a few hours ago. We seem to be involved in so much political activities as of present but there are critical issues affecting the lives of Nigerians. We seem to be involved in 2023 (general election).
“My call this morning is for every one of us, from the executive to the legislature, from the federal to the state and local governments, to come together for us to proffer solutions and provide security for Nigerians, which is the primary objective of the government.
“Those who used to go to Kaduna by road became challenged because of kidnappings on the Abuja-Kaduna road. Then, the railway and trains came but they are being challenged today. The Nigerian Railway Corporation had issued a statement that it was going to suspend the activities along that line.
“We were challenged some few days ago, for us to have an infraction at the airport, which means no way is safe. If our roads are not safe; if our rails are not safe; if our airports are not safe, then it calls for us to suspend everything political to begin to address the critical needs of Nigerians.”
The lawmaker stated, “If we don’t have Nigeria, we might not be having elections. If we don’t improve the lives of the people who we are seeking to govern, then we would have totally failed.”
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The Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu, decried that Kaduna had witnessed a series of attacks despite the establishment of various security bases in the state.
Okechukwu said, “As pointed out, this time actually is not the time to play politics or opposition or try to say you are in government. This is an existential threat to all Nigerians. It means Nigerians are on the run. It used to be cars that were attacked and (occupants) kidnapped by bandits. Now, they have attacked our airport. They started about a year ago; they attacked the NDA and a few hours back, they attacked our rail line.
“Nigeria is haemorrhaging; we are under a serious challenge. It means that if they had anything to use against the aircraft, they would have used it. I believe we are under a serious threat. What else will happen for us to know that there is a serious threat to the existence of this country?
“If we can be overrun by bandits, what else is remaining? The trains cannot move. The aircraft cannot move. Vehicles cannot move. Are we prisoners in our country and we will not be able to do anything?”
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Contributing, Garba Datti-Muhammad, decried that the issue of incessant attacks had become a recurring decimal, particularly within the Abuja-Kaduna area. “If you look at the trend, you will find out that these bandits gradually are becoming more emboldened; they are moving from one stage to another,” he said.
The lawmaker noted that within a week, two key sectors in transportation were attacked.
He said, “I am so worried. It is surprising that this thing is happening in Kaduna because Kaduna is a garrison town that houses most of our security agencies – the Nigerian Defence Academy, Command and Staff College Jaji, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police Force, Military Police. All the security agencies are there and this thing is happening continuously. Nobody is safe.”
In his remarks, Lawan Ali partly said, “What has been happening across the country is really disheartening, really unfortunate. In a well established nation, citizens are being held to ransom by just a few bandits in the bush. I think we need to tell ourselves the truth.
“The issue of curtailing this insecurity problem in this nation really needs a very aggressive and offensive approach. It is not until the worst has happened that we will be running helter-skelter, placing blames and counter-blames on one another. I think it is a very unfortunate situation.”
