The Senate has directed the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other relevant security agencies to arrest the gunmen who attacked Senator Ifeanyi Ubah’s convoy in Anambra State.
This directive was part of the resolutions reached by the lawmakers on Tuesday during plenary at the National Assembly in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
After weeks of vacation, the lawmakers resumed plenary at a makeshift chamber as the main Senate chamber is undergoing renovations.
Senator Uche Ekwunife had cited Orders 41 and 51 to seek the leave of the Senate to present a matter of urgent public importance on the attack in which Ubah’s aides were murdered.
The lawmakers, in their reactions, took turns to condemn the incident and asked the security agencies to carry out comprehensive investigations into the attack with a view to arresting and prosecuting the perpetrators.
They also resolved to observe a minute of silence in honour of the victims that lost their lives in the attack and mandate the security agencies to report their findings back to the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, as well as the Senate Committee on Police Affairs within two weeks.
“When we heard, we thought it was a joke because we cannot imagine in broad daylight such disaster would happen,” said Senator Biodun Olujimi while condemning the attack. “We need to look deeper into the problem of insecurity.
“We still must do a lot more because of this to happen in broad daylight to a man who has a convoy with more than six cars, you can imagine what can happen to an individual who drives a single car. We must know those who are perpetrating such ugly incidents in our country. I lend my condolences to Senator Ifeanyi Ubah and I pray that this will abate.”
The Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, who was also unhappy with the incident commended Senator Ekwunife for calling the attention of the lawmakers to the incident.
“As bad as it is, we must thank God for the life of our brother and our colleague. We thank God for saving him,” he said. “As alluded in the motion, this is not the first time we are dealing with the gruesome attack and killing on Anambra State and no arrest is being made and no prosecution has commenced, and we are worried.
“All Nigerians should be interested, and we should all contribute our quota in providing security for our people. What is wrong for a state government like Anambra State after the killing of a member of the State House of Assembly to make some investment in the acquisition of security equipment
“We should encourage our state governors that they should not see security as an exclusive preserve of the Nigeria Police and that they should rise to the situation. I extend my condolences to the families of the five people who lost their lives in this attack.”
Similarly, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha said, “I want to congratulate our Colleague for surviving that terrible attack. I agree with the Deputy Senate President that the level of insecurity we have in this country demands that all hands must be on deck.
“Those who are supposed to do the needful should rise and do it. Some of the governors need to do more. Let those who are involved in handling securities of communities and states wake up to their responsibilities. May God help Nigeria in this dangerous situation.”
“I want to join my colleagues to make condolences. There are people who have become conflict entrepreneurs who are utilising the security situation to unleash mayhem,” said Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe. “I join the Deputy Senate President to continue to ask the security agencies to do much more than they are doing.”
