The Nigerian Senate has ordered the army to relocate to the North East to stave off the attacks from insurgents in the region. The directive was issued yesterday during the 2014 budget defense for the Ministry of Defense and the Army.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence, George Thompson Sekibo gave the order, ssaying that it would be wrong for them to continue deliberations on the 2014 budget whilst hundreds of people continued to die in the North East.
Sekibo said, “The Senate condemns the atrocity being unleashed by the Boko Haram elements on innocent citizens of the country, especially in the North-eastern part of the country. We regret what happened on Tuesday in the killings of innocent students in cold blood.
“The Committee on Defence and Army has by this, issued a directive that the Chief of Army Staff take the following actions: (a) Re-strategise on possible new ways of curbing these excesses; (b) mobilize all available military resources and face the insurgents; (c) we heard of your planned relocation to Maiduguri; we hereby, as the committee overseeing your activities, direct that your office relocate temporarily to the 7th Division in Maiduguri and that you take urgent and appropriate steps to quell the situation; and (d) from today, all schools and health institutions should be provided with special security, as we do not want a repeat of these killings of our innocent citizens.
“Because of the situation, the committee will receive your budget proposal without going through the lines as no one goes to the town square to dance when there is fire in his house. For us, quelling of this insurgency and giving confidence of safety to Nigerians is of utmost priority.”
Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Minimah promised that “the Army is up to the task and it’s just a matter of time; we will do everything to bring Boko Haram to its knees.”