Senate seeks inquiry into South-East killings
Senate seeks inquiry into South-East killings
Senate Tuesday asked all the states in the South-East and South-South where protesting youths and security agents were killed to investigate the causes of those killings.
The resolution followed the adoption of a request by Deputy President Ike Ekweremadu, which drew the attention of senators to the tragedy.
Citing Order 43 of the Senate Standing Rule, Ekweremadu noted that the killing of young men and women was disastrous to the future of the country, pointing out that the youths represented the future of the Nigerian nation.
He urged security agencies to apply caution in seeking to quell protests in any part of the country.
“I will like to use this opportunity under Order 43 to say that the security agencies must apply caution in trying to quell disturbances.
“We have had so much of blood bath in this country under different circumstances and we cannot continue to lose young men and women because the future of this country belongs to them.
“It is important that this Senate rises to condemn any act of killing in any part of this country, especially with the one that concerns the major part of our future which remains the young men and women of this country.”
According to Ekweremadu, “We are now in a democracy and people should be entitled to speak their mind, to assemble under responsible circumstances and security agencies must also be responsible in dealing with those circumstances to ensure that lives are not lost unnecessarily.
“So I just wish to bring to the notice of the Senate for us to take note and possibly ask the states involved to set up enquiry to find out what led to this clashes and the number of people lost, and to ensure that this doesn’t happen in the future.”
In his ruling, Senate President Bukola Saraki said necessary action should be taken to address the matter.
“Distinguished colleagues, the deputy Senate president brought this to my attention. In line with our rules on this unfortunate incident that has happened and as regards our rules, there cannot be any debate on it.
“But I think that the point he has raised must draw attention and see what necessary action will be taken in other to address this matter,” the Senate president noted.
Two policemen and some of protesting youths were suspected killed on Monday when protest by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, and Biafra Independence Movement, BIM, turned violent in some South-East and South-South states.
