Borno massacre: Buhari’s aide’s ‘permission comment’ irresponsible – Senator

Senator representing Katsina North Senatorial district, Ahmed Baba-Kaita, on Tuesday lampooned President Muhammadu Buhari’s Senior Special...

Senator representing Katsina North Senatorial district, Ahmed Baba-Kaita, on Tuesday lampooned President Muhammadu Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Garba Shehu for making comments that farmers who were slain by the Boko Haram insurgents did not take permission from the military before embarking on the ill fated journey on Saturday.

He described Garba’s comments as highly irresponsible of a media aide to the President, noting that such comments added injury to a vexed situation the nation found itself as a result of the attack.

The lawmaker bore his mind while making contributions to a motion sponsored by Senator Kashim Shettima representing Borno Central Senatorial district on Tuesday.

“I rise to support the motion by Senator Shettima. It is no longer acceptable to any Nigerian on the situation we found ourselves. If the statement by Garba Shehu is true, then he is highly irresponsible.

“And we can no longer accept the explanation by our military. It is time we sit one-on-one with the military to know what is really happening. If nothing is done, then we must be prepared for another mourning. Mr. President is doing his best but if there is no result then his best is not good enough,” he said.

Also Senator Adamu Aliero representing Kebbi Central and former governor described the killing of farmers in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State as a height of insecurity.

He said Nigeria can no longer tolerate this situation, while asking the Federal government to rise to the occasion of protecting the citizens.

“As I speak, my heart bleeds because innocent people have been killed. These people were trying to make a living and unfortunately they met their end. Mr. President, this doesn’t happen anywhere in the world. It is the height of insecurity. This is a condemnable act.

“Mr. President should have gone to Borno State to condole with the government and people of the State and not to send a delegation. It is now time to act. The Service Chiefs have outlived their usefulness. It is now time to take new blood,” he noted.

On his part, Senator Bamidele Opeyemi insisted that Service Chiefs should be retired to give way for new ones.

“Let us stand on existing resolutions in addition to the prayers. For me the first resolution that I will like to re-emphasize is that it it time for Mr. President to allow our Service Chiefs to go. They have done their best, they have worked so hard,” he said.

Senator George Thomson Sekibo maintained the APC led government has failed the people, saying the level of insecurity in Nigeria has become unbearable.

According to him, “The primary function of Government is to protect. Have we not failed? This is about leadership doing what it ought to do. We swore to this Constitution to protect lives and property.

“We have deprived Nigerians who want to farm of farming. We are crying of food shortage. The President is the Commander-In-Chief. If there is failure in the military, it means the President is not doing enough.

“It is time we take the issue of community policing seriously. If you take an Ijaw man to Borno State, and there is an attack, he/she will not know where to run to. Let us use those who know the work to do the work.”

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