Boko Haram: Senate approves extension of emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno, Yobe

The Nigerian Senate on Thursday approved the extension of the state of emergency in three north-eastern states of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe.
The Senate’s approval follows a proposal for the extension of the emergency rule, first declared in May, by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The House of Representatives is, however, yet to debate the extension which would lead to another six months of emergency rule, starting from November, in the affected states.
Mr. Jonathan declared the state of emergency in the three states on May 14 to curb the violent activities of the Boko Haram  terrorists there. Several hundreds of people, including secondary school students, have been killed by the insurgents in the states despite the emergency rule.
After the Senate’s approval, a group of Senators from the North East urged the Federal Government to review its strategy of military engagement in the operation against insurgency in the region.
The Senators made their views known on Thursday when they spoke at a joint news briefing in Abuja.
The Senators are Bello Tukur (PDP-Adamawa); Ahmed Zanna (PDP-Borno); and Ma’aji Lawan (APC-Borno).
Their reaction came shortly after the Senate approved President Goodluck Jonathan’s request for a six-month extension of the emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.
Mr. Tukur said despite the security challenges, the military should relax the restrictions of movement on people living within the affected areas.
The Senator specifically called for the dismantling of check points to enable residents resume their normal activities while the military conducts its operations.
He also said there was the need to boost the number of personnel involved in the operations.
Mr. Tukur called for adequate funding of the operations to cater for the welfare and other needs of the security agents.
“Well it (extension) has been approved by the Senate but so far one would say there are still some challenges and the challenges are well known.”
“Probably challenges that have to do with those areas where the insurgents are still not yet contained, especially in the neighbouring States of Borno and Yobe.
“But again even in Adamawa there are still some challenges, especially, those challenges that have to do with civilian JTF.