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From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The Senate has condemned the abduction of 49 persons, including school children, teachers and a toddler, in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, while calling on the government and relevant security agencies to deploy all necessary resources towards the immediate rescue of the victims.
It also urged security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the immediate release of those still in captivity and asked the Federal Government to strengthen and expand the Safe Schools Initiative through enhanced surveillance, improved intelligence gathering and increased security deployment around vulnerable schools and communities nationwide.
These resolutions followed a motion sponsored by Buhari Abdulfatai yesterday during plenary.
Presenting the motion, he drew the attention of lawmakers to the attack on Ahoro-Esiele and adjoining communities, where armed kidnappers abducted the victims, shot three people and beheaded one victim.
He expressed concern that the victims were taken from a learning environment that ought to represent safety, hope and the future of the nation and described the development as cruel and inhumane, with a toddler being held captive.
He also lamented the killing of Mr. Michael Oyedokun, a mathematics teacher, who was reportedly beheaded by the kidnappers.
According to him, the gruesome killing and circulation of the recording of the act had instilled fear among residents of Oyo State and Nigerians generally. He added that it has also generated widespread anxiety and public outrage while raising serious concerns about the security of schools and rural communities across the country.
He warned that “when schools become hunting grounds for criminals, the future of the nation itself is imperilled.
“These criminals and evil-minded people are now everywhere in our country, therefore, we should beef up security in the country to secure the lives and properties of our citizens.”
Senator representing Kogi West, Sunday Karimi, claimed that kidnapping has become a daily occurrence in the state.
“Mr President, the issue of kidnapping and banditry is a big problem that is trying to bring down this nation and when it happens, we tend to blame it on the Federal Government alone,” he said.
The lawmaker said bandits invaded Ayedun Bunu, a community in his senatorial district, in the early hours of Monday and abducted 28 residents.
“In the early hours of Monday morning, these same bandits entered a community in my senatorial district, Ayedun Bunu and kidnapped about 28 people. In fact, it is a daily occurrence in my state, but we cannot talk much,” he said.
The senator called for legislative action on proposals for state police and forest guards.
“My point is, the Federal Government proposed the issue of state police and also forestry guard. We have not been able to put that into action in terms of bringing it into law,” he said. He said state governments should contribute more resources towards funding and equipping security agencies.
He said the inability of local governments to function effectively has created ungoverned spaces across the country.
He also called for the deployment of drones by state governments to strengthen surveillance and security operations.
“If we have drones all over the nation, funded by state governments, even if it is just surveillance drones, that is going to help a lot.
“Even state governments can provide attack drones. But we are leaving all this, and blaming everything on the Federal Government,” he said.
Other senators also contributed to the debate, with Adams Oshiomhole calling on President Bola Tinubu to perform an audit on security, which will cover, among others, the disbursement and utilisation of funds appropriated by the National Assembly for security to relevant security agencies.
He also called for a review of all security related motions passed by the Senate and their impact on the fight against insecurity.
Similarly, Sani Musa urged Tinubu to call his service chiefs to account for all funds the National Assembly has appropriated to them.
“Not until we do this scrutiny, we will not be able to get it right,” he warned.
Immediate past Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, noted that with its infiltration of other regions of the country, Boko Haram is succeeding in its target.
Adopting the motion, the Senate condemned the abduction and sympathised with the affected families, communities and the Oyo State Government. They also observed a minute’s silence and prayed for the repose of the departed souls.
