By Deborah Hassan
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has challenged the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, to exert more force against Boko Haram terrorists, while assuring that the parliament will provide necessary legislative backing for adequate funding to carry out the mandate.
The Speaker, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, said on Sunday that he was saddened by the killing of about 50 rice farmers in Zabarmari, Borno State, by Boko Haram insurgents.
Gbajabiamila, while condemning the occurrence in strong terms, also stressed that the incident once again brought the need for more military action against the terrorists to the fore.
“It is unfortunate that at a time the country was focusing on self-sufficiency in rice farming, about 50 of the farmers were killed in a most gruesome manner.”
“Their lives should not go in vain. This should call for more action from our military. As a House, we are ever ready to give them all the necessary support, especially through budgetary allocation, to deal decisively with the insurgents,” he stated.
While commiserating with the families of the murdered farmers, the people and government of Borno State over the sad incident, he disclosed that the “House is determined and ready to provide all necessary support, including the ongoing budgeting process to ensure that funds are allocated for the security agencies to carry out their mandate of wiping out the terrorists.”
“It’s unfortunate that about 50 of our countrymen lost their lives to the barbaric and inhuman action of the insurgents at this time.
“This incident is one too many for us as a country. Here were innocent citizens going about their lives of looking for their daily bread to cater for their families but are murdered in a most gruesome manner.
“Their lives should not go in vain. This should call for more action from our military. As a House, we are ever ready to give them all the necessary support, especially through budgetary allocation, to deal decisively with the insurgents.
“My heart goes out to the families of the murdered farmers,” the Speaker said.