BY LEVI JOHNSON
While the war against the Boko Haram persists, the Senate on Wednesday sought for a re-establishment of a military base at the Sambisa forest borders where the insurgents are.
Following the debate on last weekend’s Boko Haram attack on Garkida at Adamawa State where Churches, public institutions and houses were razed and many killed, the Senate unanimously adopted the motion seeking a relocation of military base at Sambisa border.
Senator Aishatu Ahmed (Adamawa Central), who moved the motion said three soldiers died while trying to repel the terrorists.
Meanwhile, the Army had announced that only one soldier died in the encounter and one injured.
The Senator tasked the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to “urgently assess the extent of damage and provide relief materials immediately to the Garkida community affected.”
Ahmad Lawan, the Senate President vowed not to rest until the security challenges in the country were surmounted.
According to him, the Senate Ad hoc Committee on Security Architecture will next week submit its report for deliberations.
Lawan said: “The Senate has discussed and debated much about insecurity in the country and we set up an Ad hoc committee under the Senate Leader.
“The committee is working very hard. We are trying to look for solutions to the insecurity bedevilling the country.
“We are not going to rest on our oars until we are able to provide solutions to the insecurity in the country.
“This is the essence of our being in government and of course, it would require that we work with the House of Representatives, the Executive as well as citizens.
“I believe that citizens need to be taken into confidence in the fight against insecurity.
“We will not waste any time. As soon as the report is ready, I believe it will be by next week, we will look at it and take valuable resolutions and of course, engage the Executive arm of government.”
Senator Ahmed in her lead debate said the Garkida attack had “religious connotation.”
The lawmaker, who said she had information that three soldiers were killed in the attack, called on the Federal Government to take a more drastic action against the insurgents.
She said: I am aware that three soldiers were killed in the dastardly attack.
“Also, property worth millions of naira were burnt or destroyed including public hospital, schools, telecommunication facilities, police station, buses, cars, food stores, private property belonging to the good people of Garkida.
“I am worried that the Garkida crisis which has led to the destruction of lives and property was planned by the insurgents to have a religious connotation considering that churches and residences of some prominent indigenes were burnt, an act aimed at destroying the foundation of peaceful co-existence among Garkida community and Adamawa State as a whole.”
