Insecurity: Reps want FG to dialogue with militant groups

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, urged the Federal Government to immediately open avenues for dialogue with various ethnic militia groups as a means of addressing security challenges in the country.
The House equally commiserated with the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, over the last Saturday’s attack on his convoy in Kano and the families of those killed in the attack.
The House’s position on the insecurity challenges facing the country was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance moved by Honourable Muhammad Bashir Galadanchi, entitled, “Urgent need for the Federal Government to open avenues for dialogue as a means of addressing security challenges in the country.”
He noted that the incessant attacks, killings and kidnappings that engulfed the country was worrisome and reiterated that the security and welfare of the people, as stipulated in Section 14 (2) (b) of the Constitution, was the primary purpose of governance.
The lawmaker declared that the present approach by the Federal Government to curb insecurity in the nation had not yielded the needed result.
According to him, “if the present approach is not reversed and more long-term solutions deployed, the incessant incidents will pose serious threats to the nation’s security, democracy, rights and freedom of the citizens and also destabilize the nation’s fragile stability and unity.”
In a related development, the House has mandated security agencies to unravel the cause of the 40 bodies found in the Ezu River in Anambra state.
The House equally directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, to immediately provide alternate water source to the affected communities.
The resolution of the House on the matter was sequel to a motion moved by Honourable Chukwuemeke Nwogbo where he informed his colleagues that “the Amansea and Ebenebe communities of Awka North woke up to a pungent and obnoxious smell, on further investigation, they discovered about 40 corpses at various stages of decomposition floating on the River Ezu.”
According to him, the Ezu River was the only source of domestic water for the Amansea and Ebenebe and other neighboring communities in the council.
Both motions were  supported unanimously when the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Emeka Ihedioha who presided over the session put them to vote respectively.