NASS approves extension of state of emergency in N’East

THE Senate, yesterday, approved President Goodluck Jonathan’s request for extension of
state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

However, the Senate said given that the previous state of emergency in the affected states achieved little or no positive results, the President should declare full military action to arrest the rising insurgency in the North-East.

Rising from a closed session that lasted about four hours, after alleged disagreement by Senators from the affected states, especially those from Borno States, the Red Chamber unanimously endorsed the extension.

Also, the need to provide a legal framework for the war against terrorism and to consolidate on the successes recorded in recent past are among the main reasons why the House of Representatives extended, for another six months, the emergency rule in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, Speaker of the House, Aminu Tambuwal, has said.

Tambuwal made this disclosure when he granted audience to the Botswana High Commissioner in Nigeria, Lt. Gen. Louis Fisher, at the National Assembly yesterday.

Tambuwal said the legislative instrument granted will also assist all foreign countries who have indicated interest to help Nigeria find the abducted Chibok girls and to overcome other security challenges confronting the country.

According to the Speaker, “the House is determined to continue its job of appropriating funds and enabling legislative framework that will assist the Armed Forces to adequately carry out their responsibilities.”

He said the House is working closely with other arms of government to ensure that the over 200 girls abducted in Chibok are returned to their families alive and in good condition.

“Our effort is not just geared towards safe return of our girls, but is also targeted at ending insurgency in the country as a whole,” the Speaker added.

While commending Botswana and other African countries for standing with Nigeria in this difficult time, Tambuwal extolled the brotherly relationship between Nigeria and Botswana, and urged the envoy to explore avenues of deepening ties between the two countries.

In his remarks, the High Commissioner described Nigeria as an important country in Africa that had always come to the aid of sister nations in the world.