The House of Representatives on Tuesday at Plenary, asked the federal government to remove the Military and Security establishments from the restrictive envelope budget system but make it open.
The lower house said the envelope budgeting system for security agencies does not allow them to develop a robust budget that is based on need assessments that reflect security peculiarities and reality on ground.
The House also resolved to investigate the utilisation and effectiveness of the Safe School Initiative Fund that was launched in 2014 to protect schools from attacks.
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The House also resolved to investigate the failure of the Nigeria Airforce and other security agencies to stop attacks on a community in Benue state despite receiving distress calls.
Adopting two separate motions of urgent public importance sponsored by Hon. Ahmed Munir (APC, Kaduna) and Hon. Austin Achado, the House asked the National Security Adviser to coordinate all security and intelligence networks to develop and execute a proactive master plan to restore security with defined plans on coordination with neighbouring countries.
The House wants the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), to revisit and optimise fully the Acts passed for the National Counter Terrorism Centre as well as The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, and ensure that they fully serve the purpose of their establishment.
The House also resolved to investigate the failure of the Nigerian Airforce Base in Makurdi and the Joint Security Task Force in Benue state in responding to the distress calls from Mbaikyor Community and other distress calls in the State, despite their proximity.
The House also directed the Joint Military Security task Force in Benue State to initiate full and coordinated security operations, with aerial surveillance and other necessary combat mission plans, to flush out the bandits around Mbalkyer and other banditry camps in Benue State to allow the farmers return to their farm.
They also want the Federal Government to facilitate the return, resettlement of the attack, while asking the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to as a matter of absolute urgency, send relief materials to assuage the sufferings of the affected communities.
Moving his motion, Munir recalled that on March 7, gunmen stormed Local Education Authority (LEA) Primary School and Government Secondary School in Kuriga Community, abducting over 200 students and teacher, moving them into the forest unchallenged.
He also recalled that the same menace occurred in the same. Community about two months ago when a school principal, Malam Sufyan, was killed, while his wife and baby abducted were later rescued in a successful joint security operation.
He said further that on March 8, gunmen attacked worshippers in a mosque at Angwar Makera, Kwasakwasa Community in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, with two persons declared dead saying, “This worrisome trend of violence is seeping into other parts of the state affecting persons of all religious and ethnic backgrounds.”
Munir said despite the N3.25trn allocated to the defence and security sector on drones and other military equipment in the 2024 budget which could have helped in tracking, locating and rescuing victims, there has been no respite as the bulk of the actions by security personnel are reactionary rather than proactive.
He stressed the envelope system of budgeting was having a negative effect on security operations as it does not prioritise the actual needs assessment of the security sector when it comes to procurement, planning and recruitment of personnel.
He said further that in May 2014, the Nigerian Government with an initial $10m, with another additional pledge of $10m from a coalition of Nigerian business leaders along with the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown launched the Safe Schools Initiative, for the protection of students and teachers in areas prone to security threats.
He said further that “The “Safe School Initiative” entails a combination of school-based interventions; community interventions to protect schools; and special measures for at-risk populations” adding that decade has gone by and yet the utilisation and impact of this fund is at best questionable.
He alleged that the factors fueling insecurity ranging from illicit drug trade, human trafficking and proliferation of small arms is a serious threat to the development of Kaduna State and the Nation.
He said that a coordinated effort encompassing all security apparatus and relevant agencies must be put in place to track terrorism funding, NAPTIP, Refugee Commission anchored by the Office of the National Security must quit working in silos and draw up and execute a comprehensive plan.
He said the ONSA must also put in place a Marshall plan on security with short-medium-and long-term goals with specific timelines that hold security personnel found incapable accountable and to be replaced with capable hands.
On his part, Achadu said that on March 7, gunmen attacked Mbaikyor Community in Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue state killing over 20 people including a 90-year-old set of twins, one of who was burnt beyond recognition and an 8-year-old child, who was cut into pieces.
He said the bandits burnt down over 50 houses including the village market and sacked the entire community leaving many with various degrees of injuries.
He expressed disappointment that for about three hours that the attack lasted, there was no response from the security agencies, despite distress calls to the relevant government and security agencies by an indigene Barr. Ajinge Saa, adding that the security forces only arrived at the scene of the incident 20 hours after the bandits had left.
He alleged that the marauding bandits have for a long time been left to Operate in Benue State unhindered, and have built up the resilience, capacity and courage to go into communities, kill and burn down villages without any security challenge.