Relocate To Borno Now..Senate Orders Army Chief

Senate yesterday urged the Army to quickly relocate to Maiduguri, Borno State, and set up temporary operational offices in the North-East. Senate also directed that all schools and health institutions in the North-East be provided with adequate security.

The directive followed Tuesday’s Boko Haram rampage in Yobe State where 29 students of Federal Government College, Buni-Yadi, a boarding secondary school, were reportedly burnt alive by the insurgents in a deadly night attack which lasted several hours.

Senator George Thompson Sekibo-led Committee on Defence and Army gave the order during the 2014 budget defence.

The committee will also tour three states in the North-East after Senate resumes plenary on March 11 while the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, reassured the National Assembly that Boko Haram will soon be subdued.

Said Sekibo: “The Senate condemns the atrocity being unleashed by the Boko Haram elements on innocent citizens of the country, especially in the North-eastern part of the country. We regret what happened on Tuesday in the killings of innocent students in cold blood.

“The Committee on Defence and Army has by this, issued a directive that the Chief of Army Staff take the following actions: (a) Re-strategise on possible new ways of curbing these excesses; (b) mobilize all available military resources and face the insurgents; (c) we heard of your planned relocation to Maiduguri; we hereby, as the committee overseeing your activities, direct that your office relocate temporarily to the 7th Division in Maiduguri and that you take urgent and appropriate steps to quell the situation; and (d) from today, 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.

“Because of the 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. For us, quelling of this insurgency and giving confidence of safety to Nigerians is of utmost priority.

Responding, Gen. Minimah promised that “the Army is up to the task and it’s just a matter of time; we will do everything to bring Boko Haram to its knees.”

Meanwhile, Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN) has described the Tuesday’s Yobe killings of 29 students as “crossing the border of decency.”

In a statement which he personally signed, he said the killings show that the sect’s plan is to plunge Nigeria into a “bleak and blank future.”

the Senate Committee on Defence and Army asked the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Kenneth Minimah, to henceforth relocate to the Seventh Division, Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, with a view to tackling the rising insurgency in the North-east.
The committee also tasked the army to ensure that schools and health institutions in the area are henceforth provided with special security in order to guarantee the safety of innocent pupils and patients.
The committee also directed Minimah to re-strategise and devise new ways of curbing the insurgency in North-eastern part of Nigeria, just as it tasked the army boss to immediately present a budget proposal which it promised to quickly approve to serve as an incentive against the menace of terrorism.
It also directed the COAS to mobilise all available military resources to confront the menace of insurgency head on.
Yesterday’s directive by the committee took place when Minimah led other top military officers to the Senate to defend the 2014 budget proposal for the Nigerian Army.
The session had hardly begun when a member of the committee, Senator Babafemi Ojodu, raised a point of order, drawing the committee’s attention to the latest Boko Haram massacre in Yobe State.
According to him, the situation required drastic and urgent attention, even as he urged the committee to mandate the army to immediately take urgent steps with the aim of averting further massacre by the Islamist sect.
Ojodu’s point of order was sustained by the committee chairman, Senator George Sekibo, who along with other members of the committee condemned the incessant attacks in the North-east, notably the mindless killings of innocent students.
Thereafter, the committee issued a communique condemning the attacks and urged President Goodluck Jonathan “to mobilise all needed resources for the Armed Forces to face this national challenge”.
The communique also stated that “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 also promised to undertake a tour of the three states under emergency rule when the Senate resumes plenary on March 11.
The communique read in part: “The Senate Committee on Defence and Army condemns the atrocity being unleashed by the Boko Haram element on innocent citizens of the country, especially in the North-eastern part of the country.
“We regret what happened yesterday (Tuesday) in the killing of innocent students in cold blood.
“The Committee on Defence and Army hereby issues a directive that the Chief of Army Staff take the following actions: restrategise on possible new ways of curbing excesses; mobilise all available military resources and face the insurgency; relocate temporarily to the Seventh Division in Maiduguri and that you take urgent and appropriate steps to quell the situation; and from today, 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.”the Senate Committee on Defence and Army asked the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Kenneth Minimah, to henceforth relocate to the Seventh Division, Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, with a view to tackling the rising insurgency in the North-east.
The committee also tasked the army to ensure that schools and health institutions in the area are henceforth provided with special security in order to guarantee the safety of innocent pupils and patients.
The committee also directed Minimah to re-strategise and devise new ways of curbing the insurgency in North-eastern part of Nigeria, just as it tasked the army boss to immediately present a budget proposal which it promised to quickly approve to serve as an incentive against the menace of terrorism.
It also directed the COAS to mobilise all available military resources to confront the menace of insurgency head on.
Yesterday’s directive by the committee took place when Minimah led other top military officers to the Senate to defend the 2014 budget proposal for the Nigerian Army.
The session had hardly begun when a member of the committee, Senator Babafemi Ojodu, raised a point of order, drawing the committee’s attention to the latest Boko Haram massacre in Yobe State.
According to him, the situation required drastic and urgent attention, even as he urged the committee to mandate the army to immediately take urgent steps with the aim of averting further massacre by the Islamist sect.
Ojodu’s point of order was sustained by the committee chairman, Senator George Sekibo, who along with other members of the committee condemned the incessant attacks in the North-east, notably the mindless killings of innocent students.
Thereafter, the committee issued a communique condemning the attacks and urged President Goodluck Jonathan “to mobilise all needed resources for the Armed Forces to face this national challenge”.
The communique also stated that “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 also promised to undertake a tour of the three states under emergency rule when the Senate resumes plenary on March 11.
The communique read in part: “The Senate Committee on Defence and Army condemns the atrocity being unleashed by the Boko Haram element on innocent citizens of the country, especially in the North-eastern part of the country.
“We regret what happened yesterday (Tuesday) in the killing of innocent students in cold blood.
“The Committee on Defence and Army hereby issues a directive that the Chief of Army Staff take the following actions: restrategise on possible new ways of curbing excesses; mobilise all available military resources and face the insurgency; relocate temporarily to the Seventh Division in Maiduguri and that you take urgent and appropriate steps to quell the situation; and from today, 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.”the Senate Committee on Defence and Army asked the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Kenneth Minimah, to henceforth relocate to the Seventh Division, Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, with a view to tackling the rising insurgency in the North-east.
The committee also tasked the army to ensure that schools and health institutions in the area are henceforth provided with special security in order to guarantee the safety of innocent pupils and patients.
The committee also directed Minimah to re-strategise and devise new ways of curbing the insurgency in North-eastern part of Nigeria, just as it tasked the army boss to immediately present a budget proposal which it promised to quickly approve to serve as an incentive against the menace of terrorism.
It also directed the COAS to mobilise all available military resources to confront the menace of insurgency head on.
Yesterday’s directive by the committee took place when Minimah led other top military officers to the Senate to defend the 2014 budget proposal for the Nigerian Army.
The session had hardly begun when a member of the committee, Senator Babafemi Ojodu, raised a point of order, drawing the committee’s attention to the latest Boko Haram massacre in Yobe State.
According to him, the situation required drastic and urgent attention, even as he urged the committee to mandate the army to immediately take urgent steps with the aim of averting further massacre by the Islamist sect.
Ojodu’s point of order was sustained by the committee chairman, Senator George Sekibo, who along with other members of the committee condemned the incessant attacks in the North-east, notably the mindless killings of innocent students.
Thereafter, the committee issued a communique condemning the attacks and urged President Goodluck Jonathan “to mobilise all needed resources for the Armed Forces to face this national challenge”.
The communique also stated that “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 also promised to undertake a tour of the three states under emergency rule when the Senate resumes plenary on March 11.
The communique read in part: “The Senate Committee on Defence and Army condemns the atrocity being unleashed by the Boko Haram element on innocent citizens of the country, especially in the North-eastern part of the country.
“We regret what happened yesterday (Tuesday) in the killing of innocent students in cold blood.
“The Committee on Defence and Army hereby issues a directive that the Chief of Army Staff take the following actions: restrategise on possible new ways of curbing excesses; mobilise all available military resources and face the insurgency; relocate temporarily to the Seventh Division in Maiduguri and that you take urgent and appropriate steps to quell the situation; and from today, 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.”the Senate Committee on Defence and Army asked the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Kenneth Minimah, to henceforth relocate to the Seventh Division, Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, with a view to tackling the rising insurgency in the North-east.
The committee also tasked the army to ensure that schools and health institutions in the area are henceforth provided with special security in order to guarantee the safety of innocent pupils and patients.
The committee also directed Minimah to re-strategise and devise new ways of curbing the insurgency in North-eastern part of Nigeria, just as it tasked the army boss to immediately present a budget proposal which it promised to quickly approve to serve as an incentive against the menace of terrorism.
It also directed the COAS to mobilise all available military resources to confront the menace of insurgency head on.
Yesterday’s directive by the committee took place when Minimah led other top military officers to the Senate to defend the 2014 budget proposal for the Nigerian Army.
The session had hardly begun when a member of the committee, Senator Babafemi Ojodu, raised a point of order, drawing the committee’s attention to the latest Boko Haram massacre in Yobe State.
According to him, the situation required drastic and urgent attention, even as he urged the committee to mandate the army to immediately take urgent steps with the aim of averting further massacre by the Islamist sect.
Ojodu’s point of order was sustained by the committee chairman, Senator George Sekibo, who along with other members of the committee condemned the incessant attacks in the North-east, notably the mindless killings of innocent students.
Thereafter, the committee issued a communique condemning the attacks and urged President Goodluck Jonathan “to mobilise all needed resources for the Armed Forces to face this national challenge”.
The communique also stated that “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 also promised to undertake a tour of the three states under emergency rule when the Senate resumes plenary on March 11.
The communique read in part: “The Senate Committee on Defence and Army condemns the atrocity being unleashed by the Boko Haram element on innocent citizens of the country, especially in the North-eastern part of the country.
“We regret what happened yesterday (Tuesday) in the killing of innocent students in cold blood.
“The Committee on Defence and Army hereby issues a directive that the Chief of Army Staff take the following actions: restrategise on possible new ways of curbing excesses; mobilise all available military resources and face the insurgency; relocate temporarily to the Seventh Division in Maiduguri and that you take urgent and appropriate steps to quell the situation; and from today, 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.”