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Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House, yesterday, directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Muhammed Adamu, to rid Enugu State and environs of criminals terrorising the people as well as immediately arrest and prosecute those responsible for the gruesome murder of Mr. Eugene Iloabani, a farmer, killed by armed men at Isiokwe village, Amankpunano community in Oji River Local Government of Enugu State, last week.
The green chamber equally implored the Federal Government to also deploy sufficient security personnel in the said community and Enugu State in general to provide a clement environment for people to pursue their trade.
This followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by deputy minority leader, Toby Okechukwu, under matters of urgent national importance, at yesterday’s plenary.
Okechukwu, in his lead debate, informed the House that the late Iloabani was reportedly hacked to death on June 29, by “ suspected killer herdsmen.”
The lawmaker noted that recently there had been “other attacks involving killer herdsmen in Oji River axis of Enugu State and killings of farmers, rape and pillaging of communities in various parts of the federation”.
He challenged the Federal Government and the police authorities to rise to the occasion, especially as the primary purpose of the government was the security of lives and property.
“The primary purpose of every government is the welfare of the people and security of lives and property, but because of the worsening state of insecurity, our farmers have abandoned their farms for safety, a situation that will result in food shortage, hunger and drought. A recent report stated that between 2017 and May 2, 2020, herdsmen carried out 654 attacks, killed 2, 539 and kidnapped 253 people in Nigeria.Therefore, bringing the killers to book would serve as deterrence to other criminal elements in the state”, Okechukwu said.
According to the deputy minority leader, though investments by various state governments, including Enugu, in security was commendable, the security challenges across the country were so overwhelming for the states to handle.
Also, the House passed for second reading a bill seeking to strip the Nigerian President of powers to order the forfeiture of moveable and immovable assets of persons suspected to have committed an offence.
The proposed legislation entitled “Currency conversion (freezing order) amendment bill” is sponsored by Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase.
If eventually passed into law, the bill will give discretionary to a judge of a High Court to order forfeiture of assets of culprits.
Wase, in his lead debate, said the amendment was aimed at removing the discretionary powers granted the President in the Principal Act and instead vest same in a High Court Judge, as such powers could be abused by the president.
He explained that Section 44 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) guaranteed the fundamental right of individuals to own movable and immovable properties and that no individual should be deprived of that right, except in circumstances stipulated by the constitution.
