Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and former Deputy Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi, were yesterday locked in verbal exchange over what governors expend their security votes on.

Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central senatorial district on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had in a debate that followed the motion of urgent national importance on incessant banditry attacks, killings and displacement of innocent Nigerians in some villages in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State, wondered why governors were not using their security votes to address the insecurity in their states.

The motion was moved by Senator Anthony Siyako Yaro, PDP, Gombe South.

Consequently, he asked Senate President Akpabio, being a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, to explain why governors were not deploying their security votes to address the security situation in their states instead of relying on the federal government to do so. Ningi said: ?I know as a matter of fact that every state government has security votes. This issue is what security vote represents and why is it that every time there is security problem, nobody mentions the role of the governors??

He said the constitution was clear about the fact that governors were the chief security officers of their states, adding that the security of lives and properties should not be left to the president alone.

Ningi noted that no governor received less than N500 million as security vote monthly and should, therefore, be able to solve some of the security problems in their states.

Replying Ningi, Akpabio, said: ?When you become a governor, you will find out what they do with the security vote. The amount of the security that you stop or you void are more than the ones that come to the public. And then those ones are never reported.

??So sometimes, security agencies will go to the top, get at the criminals before they carry out their nefarious acts.

?But those ones are never reported because it?s only bad news that is good news. The press can never report anything that is very good. But it is true that the state governments have a role to play and that they cannot hand over security to the federal government alone.

?Coincidentally, security is everybody?s business. If we need to be secure, every Nigerian must be part of maintenance of security, peace and harmony in every part of the federation.?

Akpabio slammed the media for feasting only on bad news, especially as reporting the exploits of security agents against criminals was concerned.

Meanwhile, the Senate has asked the federal government to fund the establishment of modern ranches across the country to enhance safety and economic productivity for both herders and local residents. It resolved to enact a law that will define the limits of economic activities under ECOWAS treaty.

The Senate also urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, and the Director General of the Department of State Services, DSS, to investigate the attacks on the people, arrest the perpetrators and prosecute them.

It equally called for the urgent establishment of a joint police and military taskforce in Billiri Local Government Area to prevent further killings, and requested the ministry of humanitarian affairs, the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and the North East Development Commission, NEDC, to provide relief materials to displaced victims.

The Upper Chamber mandated the committees on legislative compliance, police affairs, and national security and intelligence to ensure compliance with the resolutions and develop lasting solutions to the insecurity in the area.

Presenting his motion, Senator Yaro called for urgent action to address the recurring banditry attacks in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State, following the killing of several residents and widespread destruction of property by suspected herders on December 11, 2024.

He decried the attacks on villages including Sansani, Kalindi, Powishi, and Lawushi Daji, where armed assailants killed residents, burned houses and destroyed food supplies and livestock, leaving scores of people displaced.

He said: ?The Senate, cognizant of the fact that Sections 33 and 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) provide that every person has the right to life and no one shall intentionally be deprived of his or her life.

?Also notes that Section 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) provides that every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria, and to reside in any part therein.

?Alarmed that suspected herders, armed with dangerous weapons during the late hours of Wednesday to early hours of Thursday, December 11, 2024, invaded communities of Sansani, Kalindi, Powishi and Lawushi Daji Villages Kalmai District in Billiri local government senatorial district of Gombe State on motor bikes, attacked and killed several residents, including a cleric and also burnt down residential houses, large food stuffs, livestock and scores were displaced.?? (Vanguard)

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