Tinubu Should Declare State Of Emergency On Security, Economy – Ndume

… Says Boko Haram Now Controls Three Borno Communities

The lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume, has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on the nation’s security and economy sectors.

He cited that Boko Haram terrorists group has taken over three communities in Borno state without any civil authority in operation anymore there.

He made this call on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today where he also faulted the President’s declaration of a state of emergency in the oil-rich Rivers State.

“Let the President forget about everything and concentrate on three things – security, welfare of citizens and economy,” he stated.

“His attention should go there as number 1, then he should create a state of emergency in those areas.”

Describing himself as a democrat, he said Tinubu’s declaration of emergency in rule in Rivers was surprising.

He said the President acted in a wrong move by that action on March 18 following the protracted political crisis in the state.

In a nationwide broadcast, Tinubu suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara; his deputy Ngozi Odu; and all the members of the House of Assembly for six months.

The president nominated Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state for the first six months.

The president relied on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to make the proclamation. The section interprets a state of emergency as a situation of national danger, disaster or terrorist attacks in which a government suspends normal constitutional procedures to regain control

But Ndume stated that he expected the President to have gathered the political actors and resolve all lingering differences rather than the proclamation.

He also denied claims that the political actors ignored Tinubu’s directives prior to the emergency rule imposition.

“I feel that the President would have worked seriously on bringing them (and) solving the problem than (declaring a state of emergency). Call them, seat them down and say ‘go and sort your problem.

“How can you ignore the President? When he removed them now, did they ignore the removal?” Ndume queried.

On insecurity, Sen. Ndume said Boko Haram terrorists have taken over three communities in Borno State, adding that there are no civil authorities in those areas, which he said are being governed by the terrorists.

“Yes, three,” he said on Friday’s edition of the show when asked if areas are being governed by the Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East state.

“What we are saying is that there is no civil authority there, and the authority is Boko Haram,” the Borno South Senator said.

He listed the areas as “Gudumbali (in Guzamala LGA), Marte, and Abadam”.

“None,” he said when asked if there are civil authorities in these areas.

Senator Ndume said the security agencies are not properly equipped to tackle the insurgency, which he decried is beginning to fester in the North-East state.

His comment came days after the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, decried the rising spate of insecurity in the area.

The governor said the state is losing ground in the fight against Boko Haram, asking for help.

“As I address this important gathering today, it is unfortunate that the renewed Boko Haram attacks and kidnappings in many communities almost on a daily basis without confrontation signalled that Borno State is losing ground,” the governor said, a fact Ndume agrees with.

During the show, the vocal lawmaker of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said there have been hundreds of attacks in Borno State since the beginning of the year.

“From November last year till date, there were over 250 attacks in the state, and somebody is saying we should ignore the governor,” the APC chieftain said.

“We have lost more than 100 soldiers, nearly 300 civilians even though our soldiers gallantly killed 800 of those terrorists within this period.”

“It is like a stagnated situation,” he said about the state of security in the country, arguing that President Bola Tinubu should declare a state of emergency on security, the welfare of the citizens, and the economy.
-Channels