The Senate on Wednesday , mandated its committees on Legislative Compliance and Communications to summon the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami.
The panel was asked to impress on the Minister , the need to implement the resolutions of the Senate regarding security issues related to the mandate of his ministry .
The red chamber took the decision following a resolution after the consideration of a motion on the spate of growing insecurity in Nigeria .
The Senator representing Taraba South , Emmanuel Bwacha , moved the motion , rising under Order 42 and 52 of the Senate Rules .
He noted that the rate of insecurity in Nigeria had not only increased astronomically but had reached a melting point.
Bwacha said the unfortunate development had led to kidnapping, banditry , armed robbery,
assassination and other criminal activity in the country.
He said , “ The assassination of the Nasarawa State APC Chairman and other high profile cases are still fresh in our memories .
“ A Chinese national was recently abducted in my community, his whereabouts is still unknown.
“ There is growing suspicion of complicity of officials of state saddled with the responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of the citizens but compromised in the process .
“ This is heightened by the arrest of several security operatives involved in armed robbery and kidnapping activities across the country.
“ It is only in Nigeria that communication facilities can be used without a biometric process , no valid identification of passport details ( in the case of foreigners ) in place to check abuse , ” the senator added .
He added that bandits and terrorists now negotiate for ransom using telephones and get away with it.
He said , “ How can we be so negligent and insensitive to the safety and security of citizens?
“ Senate is concerned that the confidence between the protected and the protector is being increasingly eroded resulting in the breakdown of law and order as demonstrated in the #EndSARS protest which was subsequently hijacked by miscreants.
“ The Senate further notes that political permutations across the landscape are attracting politicians to recruit criminals for the purpose of destabilising the corporate existence of Nigeria .
“ These evil intents can be easily achieved given the poor control over communication facilities viz inability of our security apparatus and service providers to effectively manage this all – important sector, ” Bwacha said .
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