By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The House of Representatives has joined Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State to call for the use of mercenaries to address the rising spate of insecurity in Nigeria.
Following the attack on a passenger train last month and the invasion of the airport in his state, Mr El-Rufai said he might be forced to use mercenaries to fight the anti-terror war even though he is not empowered to do such.
During the plenary on Wednesday, members of the lower arm of the parliament, while expressing their frustrations over the renewed attacks in Plateau and Benue States, said it was high time the federal government took decisive action against the terrorists labelled as bandits.
They advised the central government to secure the services of mercenaries to supplement the efforts of security agencies in containing the situation, asking President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency in the security sector.
Last Sunday, some terrorists invaded villages in Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing scores of villagers and setting houses ablaze.
The worst-hit communities were said to be Gyanbahu, Kukawa, Karen and Dungur.
In Benue, at least 12 lives were lost and many houses destroyed when herdsmen attacked villagers in Gboko and Tarka local governments.
The member representing Pakshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency of Plateau State, Mr Yusuf Gagdi, and his counterpart from Gboko/Tarka Federal Constituency of Benue State, Mr John Dyegh, moved separate motions to draw attention to the plight of the villagers in their respective constituencies.
However, the majority of members noted that cases of killings, now a daily occurrence, had cheapened the lives of Nigerians and would appear that security agencies and the government had lost total control of the situation.
Some of them blamed President Buhari, on whose table they said the bulk stopped, urging him to take more decisive actions against criminal elements.
For instance, there were suggestions that he should fire the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mr Babagana Monguno immediately, including a repeated call to declare a state of emergency on insecurity in the country.
A key prayer, which was unanimously endorsed by the House, was to invoke Section 83 (1) of the 1999 Constitution to provide special funds, through a supplementary budget, to hire mercenaries in order to strengthen the anti-terror war.
The prayer was moved by the House Minority Leader, Mr Ndudi Godwin Elumelu, and unanimously voted for at the session, which was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Ahmed Idris Wase.
A prayer to declare a state of emergency on insecurity was also unanimously carried by the members, who complained that they were overwhelmed by the daily wailings of their constituents.
