Lawmakers in the Nigerian House of Representatives have resolved to invite President Muhammadu Buhari to brief members of the lower chamber on the deteriorating security situation in the country.
The country recently witnessed the gruesome killing of 43 farmers in northeastern Borno state, but a motion to invite Mr. Buhari sharply divided members of the House.
Named a motion of urgent national importance and sponsored by lawmakers from Borno state, the proposition had one of its initial prayers as the invitation of the President.
But while presenting the motion, Lead sponsor, Ahmed Santomi excluded the prayer but rather asked for the declaration of a state of emergency on the security situation in the country.
However, one of the sponsors, Ahmed Haha expressed displeasure that the prayer was excluded after it was collectively agreed by the sponsors. He insisted that the prayer be included and the President invited to brief the House.
Efforts by Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of the House, and Majority Leader, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa to persuade him to withdraw the prayer failed.
They were of the view that due to the nature of security issues, it will not be ideal to invite the President as security matters cannot be discussed in public. The leaders also noted that the issue of declaring a state of emergency will allow for the use of extra measures in tackling the issue.
But all the pleas were sharply turned down by lawmakers.
The killing of the farmers has attracted widespread condemnations with the government consistently mouthing a decimation and technical defeat of the insurgents.
The House has on several occasions called for the sack of the country’s Service Chiefs who’ve been in office since their appointment in 2015 with President Buhari whose prerogative it is to relieve them of their appointments preferring otherwise.
By Abel Ejikeme