By Henry Umoru
Nigerian senators have put the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, in a tight corner, following his refusal to allow open discussion on the recurring kidnappings, killings and wanton destruction of property by terrorists across the country.
With the President of the Senate not ready to recognise any point of order on the matter, senators became furious and told Lawan that no issue would be tabled for discussion at the hallowed chamber outside insecurity.
Senators were not happy when they resumed plenary over the silence on terrorists’ threat to go after President Muhammadu Buhari; Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai; and senators.
Recall that terrorists who attacked and abducted train passengers on transit from Abuja to Kaduna on March 28, 2022, had in their latest video that had gone viral, identified President Buhari, El-Rufai and senators as their next targets.
The same video showed the terrorists flogging the captives in their den.
Surprisingly, senators directly on the death list of the terrorists did not deem it necessary to mention or deliberate on the issue, even behind closed doors in an executive session.
Impeachment threat
”This forced Lawan to succumb, assuring that the matter will come up for discussion tomorrow (today) in the open and not at closed door session.”
Proliferation of arms bill
Meanwhile, the Senate, yesterday, passed a bill to establish the National Commission for the Coordination and Control of the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons.
The passage of the National Commission Against the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (Establishment) Bill, 2022, followed the consideration of a report by the Committee on National Security and Intelligence.
The bill is a consolidation of three bills – two private-member bills and one from the Executive arm of government against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country.
They are: The Nigerian National Commission against the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (Establishment) Bill, 2020 (SB. 283); The Nigerian National Commission against the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (Establishment) Bill, 2020 (SB. 513); and The National Centre for the Coordination and Control of the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (Establishment) Bill, 2021 (SB. 794).
•Text, except headline, courtesy of Vanguard
