Reps Demand More Military Bases To Stop Plateau Killings

House of Representatives has called for swift action against killings and kidnappings in the Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam federal constituency of Plateau State, North-central Nigeria.

The House urged chief of defence staff, General Christopher Musa, to establish two military bases in Kanam: Gun-Gagdi and Garga axes of the federal constituency.

It also called on the inspector-general of police and the commandant general of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to deploy additional personnel to the affected areas in Gun-Gagdi, Garga, Pankshin and Kanke.

The House further urged the director of the Department of State Services (DSS) to conduct a security operation in the area to flush out bandits and Boko Haram members while the federal government was asked to provide relief materials to the victims of various attacks who are in the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps.

This was sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Hon Yusuf Adamu Gagdi (APC, Plateau) at plenary on Wednesday.

Moving the motion, Gagdi said there are several documented incidents of deliberate threats, kidnapping and assaults targeting members of the Panskshin/Kanke/Kanam federal constituency of Plateau State.

He recalled that an APC publicity secretary, Sylvanus Namang, was shot in the head at Pankshin local government area of Plateau State, and he died as a result of the injury sustained from the attack.

The lawmaker lamented that the lifeless body of one of the former members of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon Sunday Muchen, “whom we served together with, was found in Bokkos forest in Plateau State.”

Gagdi bemoaned the kidnapping of a priest and the alleged involvement of the financial secretary of the church and other members in that act, as well as the abduction of lecturers of the University of Education Pankshin, amongst others.

The chairman of the House Committee on Navy expressed concern that Kanam’s forest is now a haven for bandits and Boko Haram terrorists as a result of an influx from other states that are affected by banditry and Boko Haram activities.

Adopting the motion, the House observed a minute silence to honour the souls of the slain APC spokesperson, former Plateau lawmaker and all the departed and condoled the families of the deceased. At the same time, it mandated the relevant committees to ensure compliance.

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