The Global News reports that the Senate has taken action by summoning the heads of security agencies following the tragic killing of over 150 persons on Christmas Eve in Plateau State.
The Global News had reported that at least 195 persons were killed in bandits’ attacks on 23 villages in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi local government areas of Plateau State.
The attacks, resulting in over 150 deaths, numerous injuries, and significant property damage, reportedly took place from Saturday night through the early hours of Monday.
The Senate, attributing the coordinated nature of the massacre to marauding bandits, has expressed concern about a failure in security intelligence.
In response to a motion by Senator Diket Plang (APC, Plateau) during Saturday’s plenary, the Red Chamber summoned top security officials, including the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Director-General of State Security Services, National Security Adviser, Director General of Nigeria Intelligence Agency, and Inspector General of Police, to address the alarming situation.
The security chiefs are to brief the Senate on the gruesome killings in Plateau State to enable the parliament take further action.
Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi), who chairs the Northern Senators’ Forum, described the attack as unprecedented.
Senator Ningi said his findings after spending 72 hours in Plateau and meeting with the state’s governor, showed the attackers, in collaboration with the locals carried out the attacks in a well coordinated manner.
The federal lawmaker said the bandits, numbering about 400, operated freely without hinderance, alleging that the security agents failed to act on the prior information before the attack happened.
Senator Ningi also said there was no synergy among the security agencies.
A former Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong faulted the claims of the military that the terrain was difficult to access and the attacked communities were too distant from military formations.
Lalong expressed disappointment that despite the various military operations, including Operation Safe Haven, keeping peace in the state, innocent lives are being lost in a gruesome manner.