Federal lawmaker representing Kebbi South senatorial district, Sen. Garba Musa Maidoki has expressed sadness over the recent killing of his twelve constituents by insurgents in the Kebbi state.
In this exclusive interview with our National Assembly correspondent, Senator Maidoki narrated how the Kebbi State governor said he commits five hundred million naira (N500m) to keeping security in the state as a whole. Senator Maidoki asked: “where is the money we (Senate) passed for the Army to do their job, what is it for? Adding that Army now have to wait until the State Governor gives them grant before they do their job?
He also gives insights as to why he cannot support state police in the ongoing constitition review in the 10th National Assembly.
Excerpts:
Qstn: Distinguished Senator, yesterday at the plenary, there was a point of order by Senator Jibril Isah, Kogi East, on the state of insecurity in his area, specifically at Omala Local Government Area, where there were clashes and some people allegedly killed. During your contribution, you made a very salient point that in Kebbi State, in spite of the State Government intervention of over 500 million monthly to the Nigerian Army, yet insecurity has remained unabated in Kebbi, particularly in Kebbi South. Now, could you shed more light on this and how we can overcome these challenges?
Ans: Thank you very much. I appreciate this opportunity for this gathering with you. The truth is that we are not doubting the improvement in security, particularly in my area where I can speak authoritatively. We have full improved security. But there are still pockets of problems here and there. I told the Senate some villages in my constituency came and met me on the problem they are facing on banditry, being their representative in the Government. I have directed them to go and see the State Governor. They went to Birnin Kebbi unfortunately, they didn’t meet with the State Governor, but they presented their letter to the Government House. They came back, two weeks later, bandits enter; amongst those people who came, 12 of them where killed in their own farms. And as their representative, I feel completely responsible even though I don’t have the power or the instrument to stop the banditry . What they are expected to do, they have done it. They came to me, they reported this problem! They went to the Governor, they reported this problem! Unfortunately, we are not able to save their lives. So sad we went for condolence, and that is the most unfortunate of the unfortunate. And just like I said, the State Governor told us his contribution to keeping security in that area or in Kebbi State as a whole. Monetary wise, to the tune of 500 million monthly. And I was asking the Senate, where is the money we passed for the Army to do their job, what is it for? Army now have to wait until the State Governor give them grant before they do their job? That is the question for Nigerians to understand and to know, and it’s sad! We appropriated money for security, and we think that money is big enough to address the problem. I cannot understand why Army or any law enforcement agency, The Police, will wait for the Governor to give them counterpart funding before they undertake their job. And this is now a norm in Nigeria security system. If the police send a detachment to any constituency, if the Governor didn’t take the bills, they will not send the detachment. We don’t know whether the money we have given them is not sufficient. And if it is not sufficient, none of them came back to the National Assembly and tell us the money you gave us is not sufficient to do their job. We have a memorandum of understanding with the Nigeria Security Chiefs, what they were going to deliver at the end of this year. We are waiting to see that the money we give them, they have delivered to their promise. If they didn’t, we will tell The President that we had….before we confirmed them, we had an agreement, we have the KPls together with them. At the end of this year, we are going to check the KPIs. And we will tell Nigerians where they stand on those KIPs, thank you very much.
Qstn: If you say KPIs, what do you mean Sir?
Ans: Key Performance Indicators.
Qstn: Most Distinguished, in all these, don’t you think that State Policing is key?
Ans: You see, the concept of State Police is an excellent idea, but given the level of our democracy in Nigeria, I will not support it. Not because the concept is not good. Look at State Independent Electoral Commission, can you tell me one state, even the so-called learned state in the Southwest, where State Independent Electoral Commissions, the Governors allowed them to do their work in the service of their own people? That is one. Secondly, as I am talking to you today, some states are owing teachers salaries, they are owing other civil servants allowances. Nigeria is broke, if you don’t know it, know it! We are living on borrowed money. Where will the money come to finance the State Police? You cannot even finance education, primary education!; and you want to take the money and do state police. And if you do state police, what are the likelihood that it will not be like they are controlling INEC, State INEC? If they had given us confidence that they can hold elections where your own people, that you are representing them, you subvert their opinion and their mandate, you give it to whosoever you wish, then what right have you to tell us you can defend them? They said we don’t want X, we want Y. You say no, you must take X. Who are you to tell us you have mandate to defend them. You do to have that mandate! And that is the gospel truth. Thank you very much.
