April 16, 2024

The House of Representatives has invited leaders of Nigeria’s security agencies to an emergency meeting over the recent attacks on the Kaduna International Airport and the Abuja-Kaduna rail line.
After an extensive debate on the growing insecurity in Nigeria at the plenary on Tuesday, the House resolved that its leadership should meet with the heads of military and paramilitary agencies to discuss the security situation in the country.
Those to appear before the House include the National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.); Minister of Defence, Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd.); Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao; Director-General, Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi; Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba; Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika; Director-General, NCAA, Musa Nuhu; Managing Director, FAAN, Rabiu Yadudu; Managing Director, NAMA, Mathew Pwajok; and General Manager, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Fidet Okhiria.
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Ahmed Wase, who presided over the session, said the Committees on Aviation, National Security and Intelligence, Police Affairs, Army, Air Force, Defence and Land Transport are to work with the leadership on the probe.
“We beg that the invitation be sent as soon as possible. Hopefully, we will start the meeting from tomorrow (Wednesday),” Wase said.
The resolution was based on a motion of urgent public importance moved by the Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji, titled, ‘Urgent Need for the Federal Government to Investigate the Recent Attack at Kaduna International Airport and Reinforce Security Surveillance and Personnel in All the Nigerian Airports.’
Moving the motion, Nnaji recalled that about a year ago, bandits attacked the staff quarters of the FAAN at the Kaduna International Airport and abducted about 12 persons. He also recalled that on Friday, there was “a horrific” attack on the airport, leading to the death of a security guard working with NAMA.
The lawmaker expressed concern that the attacks on the airport might escalate to other airports across the country, if not prevented.
He said, “The House is worried that no one is safe to travel by air if positive steps are not taken urgently to safeguard our airports from bandits’ attacks, considering the international standards on airport security management as outlined by International Civil Aviation Organisation.”
Nnaji decried that while flights on the Kaduna route were being suspended over the attack on the airport, a train on the Abuja-Kaduna rail line was also attacked on Monday night, with the Nigerian Railway Corporation suspending train services on the route indefinitely.
The lawmaker stated, “What it means is that the only means of transportation now to Kaduna is the road. Definitely, if it happens in other places; if they start attacking our airports, the implication is that even the international airlines will stop coming to Nigeria. That is the implication.
“And the premium on our local airlines – the premium on their insurance – will go up and the implication is that (the cost of) air tickets will double. That is why I am asking that the leadership should come to our aid to see how we can solve this problem. It is not just a committee issue; it has to do with the entire House led by the leadership, to see how we can unravel this situation.”
During the debate,  Leke Abejide made reference to a statement allegedly made by Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, asking the Armed Forces to bombard the forests housing the terrorists and flush them out.
Abejide partly said, “I just want to know whether these bandits live in hell or they live here on earth. If they are living within Nigerian territory, how come our military cannot locate where they are?”
“If you notice now, a former Governor of Zamfara State was shot yesterday in the process of this attack. A lady – a medical doctor – was killed that same yesterday in the same attack. Who knows who would be the next? Most of our colleagues here depend on that train from Abuja to Kaduna every week, to visit their constituencies. How long will we continue to be talking about the same problem?”

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