Tribune / Nigeria: The Senate, on Thursday, summoned the nation’s security chiefs to brief it on the incidences of violent attacks by Fulani herdsmen across the country.
The lawmakers, who issued the summons after adopting a motion by Senator Chukwuka Utazi, condemned what they called bemoaned horrendous carnage the herdsmen recently inflicted on residents of Nimbo community of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State.
They said it was callous to see a group of marauders gruesomely kill over 38 persons, while over 100 others severely injured, aside countless number of houses and other property set ablaze.
Though no date was fixed for the appearance, the lawmakers also agreed to set up a six-man ad hoc committee to probe the crisis.
The lawmakers announced Senate leader, Ali Ndume, as the chairman of the committee, which was mandated to carry out thorough investigation into recent attacks of the herdsmen and possible way out of the menace.
Members of the committee were Isiaka Adeleke to represent South-West; Mao Ohunbunwa, South-East; Abdullahi Adamu, North Central; Shehu Sani, North-West and Ben Bruce to represent South-South.
Utazi, in his motion, said Boko Haram may be a child’s play when compared with the current Fulani herdsmen attacks if decisive action was not taken against them by government and people at all levels.
He called for introduction of community policing across the country as a prelude to establishing state-owned police services later which, he said, would be more on ground across the various communities in the country in tackling such internal attacks.
Senators who contributed to the debate condemned the Fulani herdsmen menace with some of them, including Olusola Adeyeye, calling for establishment of state police for more security surveillance at the grassroots.
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, said the ad hoc committee would surely come up with needed solution to the problem.
The senators also urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant agencies to urgently dispatch relief material to Nimbo and other neighbouring communities of Nkpologu, Uvuru, Ugbene-Ajima and Adani.
