Senate Approved Emergency Rule Extension. Will House Of Reps Follow?

Soldiers stand in miliary camp in Maiduguri, capital of Borno state, on June 6, 2013. AFP Photo

Nigerian senators on Thursday, November 7, approved request of the President Goodluck Jonathan to prolong emergency rule in three northern states by a further six months to curb a bloody Islamist insurgency.

Lawmakers unanimously backed President's request and agreed "to extend the state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states on the same terms and conditions", the approved motion read.

Jonathan said in a letter to the Senate on Wednesday that although the Nierian army had achieved "considerable successes" in containing Boko Haram, "some security challenges still exist".

The Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba (PDP-Cross River) said the approval of the extension was based on the same terms and conditions that were earlier approved and gazetted.

Senators also called for more clarity about the effectiveness of operations, requesting briefings from military top brass, while the governor of Yobe state said more needed to be done.

The extension also needs to be approved by the members of the House of Representatives. They are expected to vote on the matter in the coming days.

As a result, emergency rule should be extended for a further six months from November 12.

Emergency rule was declared in the three states on May 14 as part of government efforts to curb violent activities of the Boko Haram sect that has killed nearly 4000 people since 2009 in attacks of security forces, religious houses, schools, and private residences. Boko Haram has said it is fighting to create an Islamic state in Nigeria's mainly Muslim north.

Senators call on FG to review its strategy of military engagement

Specking at a news briefing in Abuja after the Senate’s approval, a group of senators from the North East urged the FG to review its strategy of military engagement in the operation against insurgency in the region. The Senators are Bello Tukur (PDP-Adamawa); Ahmed Zanna (PDP-Borno); and Ma’aji Lawan (APC-Borno).

Tukur said despite the security challenges, the military should relax the restrictions of movement on people living within the affected areas.The Senator specifically called for the dismantling of check points to enable residents resume their normal activities while the military conducts its operations.

In turn, Zannah said although he was in support of the extension, he urged the military operations to be extended to the remote areas of the affected states. He added that the military personnel should be provided with adequate arms and equipment to effectively dislodge the insurgents and restore normalcy in the affected areas.

Lawan added: "This further extension will ensure that normalcy is restored completely to the three states in the shortest possible time such that Mr. President will not need to extend it any further or even lift it midway into this extended period."