PIC.6. PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI ACKNOWLEDGING CHEERS DURING HIS INAUGURATION IN ABUJA ON FTIDAY(29/5/15). 2819/29/5/2015/CH/NAN
The Senate, Wednesday, passed a motion, asking President Muhammadu Buhari to establish a presidential intervention committee on the rehabilitation of the North-East geopolitical zone, currently being ravaged by Boko Haram insurgency.
The motion, sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party member representing Rivers East Senatorial District, Senator George Sekibo, was backed by 35 other senators from both the PDP and the All Progressives Congress, across the six geopolitical zones.
Also with the passing of the motion, the Senate asked Buhari to do everything possible within his powers as provided by the constitution to eradicate the Boko Haram insurgency in the country.
The Senate also condemned the continued assault on the people of the North-East zone and other parts of the country by the Boko Haram elements, and directed its committee on Special Duties to monitor welfare of Internally Displaced Persons across the country.
While commending the Nigerian Military for the fight against the insurgents, the Senate also resolved that the Senate President should lead a delegation of the upper chamber to visit the IDPs in Maiduguri.
Sponsor of the motion, Senator Sekibo, noted with dismay, the infrastructural damages caused by the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East zone of the country, especially in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States, explaining that since the inception of insurgency in the region, several government institutions, such as educational and health as well as the police, the customs, the immigration and military barracks have been completely destroyed with no offices and facilities for use by the institutions affected.
Sekibo said: “Thousands of personal buildings and properties, social amenities and infrastructure, such as electricity, and telephone services have been destroyed in many parts of the zone.
“The livelihood of many indigenes of the area have been disrupted such that majority of the people are either in Internally Displaced Persons camps or are helplessly roaming the streets without any hope for their future.”
However, Senators Nelson Effiong, Shehu Sanni and Sola Adeyeye argued that any rehabilitation of the North-East, without first winning the insurgency battle, would be a waste of time because the Boko Haram activities has been spreading even beyond the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.
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