Today In Senate Plenary: Proceedings Of The Nigerian Senate Of Tuesday, 16th January, 2018.

Welcome to the first legislative Day in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the year 2018.

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, led the Principal Officers into the chambers; took the official prayers; and began the day’s proceedings at 10.35am.

EXECUTIVE SESSION
Senate moved into an Executive Session at 10.42am and resumed at 11.44am.

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki reported that at the executive session the Senate deliberated on National issues especially the security situation in the Country, the workings of the Nigerian Senate and the National Assembly in general.

Senator Monsurat Sunmonu moved for the approval of votes and proceedings of Thursday, 21st December, 2017. Senator Sam Egwu seconded.

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki delivered his welcome back speech; “Distinguished colleagues, it is a privilege and an honour to welcome you all back to work as we embark on the legislative endeavour that will define our country in the year 2018”.

“Let me take this opportunity to wish you my distinguished colleagues, your families and all Nigerians - a happy new year. I am not unmindful of the sobering fact that the new year has met many citizens in a reflective mood. Many were on the queue for petrol”.-Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

“Many households are grief-stricken. This mood of reflection is also one from which no lawmaker is immune; what affects one, affects all. When one part of the body is hurting, the whole body hurts, and this holds true for the entire nation”.- Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

“Distinguished colleagues, you will agree with me that even more sober reflection attends the killings in some parts of the country, particularly recent tragic events in Benue State”. -Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

“We condemn these killings in the strongest terms and we declare that mindless bloodletting has no place in our society. I offer our sincerest condolences to the people of Benue and indeed to all who have suffered the loss of their loved ones as a result of these wanton acts”.- Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

“The 8th Senate has continued its historic run, because by the end of 2017, we had passed 140 Bills over a period of 30 months. The landmark Economic Bills we passed helped to propel the country’s emergence from recession, powering us upwards in the Ease of Doing Business Report. While the legislative feats of the year gone by shall go down in the annals of lawmaking in this country, what is also true is that we cannot lose momentum, nor can we afford to rest on our oars”.-Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

PRESENTATION OF BILLS- First Reading
Digital Right and Freedom Bill, 2018 (HB. 490) by Senate Leader.

The Digital Right and Freedom Bill, 2018 (HB. 490) was read the First Time.

National Security Agencies Protection of Officers Identity Bill, 2018 (HB. 830) by Senate Leader.

The National Security Agencies Protection of Officers Identity Bill, 2018 (HB. 830) was read the First Time.

PRESENTATION AND CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS.

Report of the Ad-hoc Committee on the review of security infrastructure of Nigeria on the emergency visit to Benue State by Senator Ahmad Lawan.

Minority Leader seconded that the Senate do receive and consider the report of the Ad-hoc Committee on the review of security infrastructure of Nigeria on the emergency visit to Benue State.

Comments from Senators on the report of the Ad-hoc Committee on the review of security infrastructure of Nigeria on the emergency visit to Benue State

“Police commissioner, Director DSS and Army commander of Benue State reported that those harboring these foreign armed bandits are known and reports have been sent to FCT”.- Senator Barnabas Gemade.

“The senate is not the only group or body concerned, Nigerians are also worried. We are tired of always observing a minute silence, we must have peace and security before even thinking of infrastructure and development in the Country”.-Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

“We should revisit the constitutional review where we can start State policing and community policing so as to curb these kind of internal mayhem“.-Senator Godswill Akpabio.

“Justice is a scarce commodity, the President, Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo should take a bold step and ring the bell of justice”.- Senator Dino Melaye.

“They must be tagged as terrorist since they are foreign armed bandits and not play politics by tagging them as Fulani herdsmen”.- Senator Sam Anyanwu.

Senator David Mark commended the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki for being proactive by setting up the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on security and calling off the Committees recess to assess the security situation in Benue. He also stated that the laws we have are ancient laws, if these laws are not working it’s our duty to create modern laws that will work in order to protect lives and properties. It’s unacceptable if we say the killers are foreigners because  if we do then it simply means we are open to invaders.

“The security of this Country is controlled by Mr. President, he should rise up to the occasion to suppress these killings on a long term scale not just for this particular incident”.-Senator Shehu Sani.

“There is no way we can have Foreign bandits come into this Country and kill innocent Nigerians without the sons and daughters of the soil knowing about it, this incident is a calculated attack for political purposes”.- Senator Kabir Marafa.

“We should rise above our religious identity and except we come to a well furnished mahogany table the issue can’t be resolved”.- Senator Olusola Adeyeye.

“The issue was on CNN which means it’s becoming a National embarrassment, if setting up State policing is difficult we should look into community policing”.- Senator Andy Uba.

Benue Killing: Following deliberations on security report in Benue, Senate resolves that the:
-Senate condemns in strong terms the wanton killings,

-Senate gives the inspector general of Police 14 days to arrest and investigate the perpetrators of this act,

-The senate president, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki convey the resolutions taken today back to the executive,

-Direct the Federal ministry of agriculture to urgently provide facilities and empower its officers to enforce documentation protocols, quarantine animals and livestock movement at our borders,

-Urgent reconsideration of creation of state police and community police should be carried out by the Ad-hoc Committee and report back to the Senate,

-Federal Government should review and revamp the security infrastructure of the Nation,

-Senate should convey as a matter of National urgency National security summit,

-Federal Government should ensure that those living in IDP camps are properly taken care of.

Senator Barnabas Gemade in his contribution urged the Senate:
1. To observe a minute silence
2. Urge the Federal Government to constitute a joint police military operation and establish a military base in the area for future purpose,
3. Urge the National Emergency Management Agency to provide relief materials to affected victims,
4. Federal Government to support Benue State, Government to take care of security personnel deployed and refund other states who had made similar expenditure.
5. Urge the Federal Government to pay adequate compensation to families who lost their loved ones and crops destroyed.

“We want to see immediate action. One point raised here today is the issue of justice. Without justice we cannot see unity and that justice stands as one of our recommendations. In the next 14 days, the Inspector General of Police must find the perpetrators, arrest them, and the Attorney General of Benue State must prosecute them. That is minimum requirement and it must happen”.- Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

“Our resolution is that some of our discussions here need to be conveyed to Mr. President. We appreciate his actions for calling us and giving us a brief on what has happened. Hence, we owe it to him to tell him what we have discussed and the seriousness with which we have taken the issue”.-Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

“It is a wake-up call for him and it is a wake-up call for us. It is a wake up call for this government. We  must address the issue of security. We cannot continue to allow this violence to keep going on from one state to another. Therefore, something needs to be done. The President must act in this area, and those responsible for this must be held accountable. There must also be long term solutions. Part of this long term solution is that the members of the committee on security must objectively look into this”.-Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

“The military cannot be the solution all the time. This is because sometimes the military is overstretched and that has its own impact and problem. In this regard,  we are hoping that the committee urgently comes up with the recommendation to us on what we need to do we need to do to strengthen the police, apart from more man-power. Is it community policing? Is it state policing? We need to know”.-Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

“Something must be done in this area, but more importantly we have condemned this killings but actions must begin to happen for us to re-assure Nigerians we are not just here to just talk and we can assure nigerians that they'll see we'll see that the executive and all those involved”.-Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

ADJOURNMENT
Senate Leader moved that all other items on the order paper be stood down to another Legislative day. Minority Leader Seconded.

Plenary is adjourned to Wednesday, 17th January, 2018.

#GavelBangs.

Signed:
New Media Department,
Office of the President of the Senate,
Federal Republic of Nigeria