Yobe School Attack : Senate Directs Army Chief To Relocate to Maiduguri

Source: thewillnigeria.com

--Boko Haram plans to plunge Nigeria into bleak and blank future, says Ndoma-Egba SAN FRANCISCO, February 26, (THEWILL) - A grieving Senate on Wednesday asked the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.

General Kenneth Minimah, to relocate his office to the 7th Division of Nigeria Army in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

It urged him to regard the call as a matter of urgency, which is aimed at tackling the rising activities of Boko Haram insurgents.

The call was sequel to Monday night horrendous  massacre of 43 students of Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State.

The Senate said that it was alarmed by the apparent upsurge in the activities of the insurgents.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence and Army, Senator George Thompson Sekibo, read the resolutions after a budget defence session.

The resolution to order the army chief to relocate to Maiduguri with immediate effect followed a point of order by a member of the committee, Senator Babafemi Ojudu.

Ojudu drew the attention of the lawmakers to the killing of students in Yobe and demanded that drastic action should be taken to halt the wanton killing of innocent people in the state.

The point of order was sustained.
In the resolutions, the committee condemned 'the atrocity being unleashed by the Boko Haram elements on innocent citizens, especially in the North East part of the country.

' The lawmakers said that 'we regret what happened yesterday in the killing of innocent students in cold blood.

' The committee said that due to the gravity of the Yobe State incident, 'The Committee on Defence and Army has by this issued a directive that the Chief of Army Staff take the following actions: 'Re-strategise on possible new ways of curbing these excesses, mobilise all available military resources and face the insurgents.

'We heard of your planned relocation to Maiduguri, we hereby as the Committee overseeing your activities, direct that your office relocates temporarily to the 7th Division in Maiduguri and that you take urgent and appropriate steps to quell the situation.

' The committee also ordered that 'from today (Wednesday),  all schools and health institutions should be provided with special security, as we do not want a repeat of these killings of our innocent citizens.

' It asked President Goodluck Jonathan to mobilise all needed resources for the Armed Forces to 'face this national challenge, as this battle must be won to sustain our nation's stability and unity as it is only in the atmosphere of peace and tranquility that development can be carried out.

' The committee promised to make a tour of the affected states when the Senate resumes plenary.

It noted that because of the prevailing situation 'the committee will receive your budget proposal without going through the lines as no one goes to the town square to dance when there is fire in his house.

' The committee said that taking steps to quell insurgency and giving confidence of safety to Nigerians are of utmost priority to it.

The Chief of Army Staff told the committee that they required funds to execute their responsibilities.

Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba in a statement said the insurgents have crossed the border of decency by killing over 43 students in Yobe State.

Ndoma-Egba who personally signed the statement noted that the killings showed that the sect planned to plunge the country into a "bleak and blank future.

" His words: "It is obvious that we are now dealing with a bunch of animals to whom human life is now totally meaningless and worthless because when you attack students, you are attacking the foundation of the country's future.

"So, this attack, to me, is to plunge the nation into a bleak and blank future.

There would be need for us to modify our security strategy to include hot pursuit.

'This is permissible in international law if your neighbour is not taking concrete steps to halt these insurgents as it's now clear that they hit us from outside the country and go back there to hide.

" EMMA UCHE, ABUJA