…..Orders probe into welfare and wellbeing of serving soldiers
By Haruna Salami
Senate Thursday abruptly adjourned its plenary in honour of 44 soldiers and Army Commandant killed by Boko Haram insurgents at the 157 Task Force batallion in Metele village , Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State on Sunday this week.
This is as it ordered its committees on Army and Defence to investigate the killings , welfare and wellbeing of Nigerian troops fighting insurgency .
Members of the upper legislative chamber also resolved to visit men and officers of the Nigerian Armed forces on the battle field , particularly in North East against Boko Haram insurgency .
The lawmakers’ decision followed a motion by the Deputy Majority Leader, Sen. Bala Ibn Na’Allah ( APC Kebbi South) at the instance of the President of the Senate, Sen. Bukola Saraki.
Na’Allah while moving the motion , decried the plight of military personnel fighting insurgency in the North East and lamemented that the murdered commandant was his cousin .
Consequently, according to him, the senate should observe a minute silence in honour of the slain soldiers and their commandant , pay condolence visit to the Chief of Army Staff and families of the murdered soldiers and thorough investigation on circumstances surrounding the killings and welfare of serving soldiers be carried out by the Army committee.
But Senator Andrew Uchendu, APC Rivers East, added that the Senate should “shut down’’ for one whole day, rather than observing a mere one-minute silence to which the Senate concurred.
“Mr President and dear colleagues, I have no reason to doubt the figure (of the 44 dead soldiers), but if that figure is correct, then this Senate must come out and show massive concern, not just one-minute silence.
“We must shut down for one whole day in honour of those fallen heroes,’’ he said.
Other senators, including the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu in their contributions , bemoaned the hazardous tasks of men and officers of the Armed Forces in fighting Boko Haram insurgency .
To this end, they called for a strong resolution urging the Federal Government and military authorities to adequately equip the personnel and take care of their welfare, among others.
Media reports had it that aside the soldiers and their commandant , nine farmers were also killed in the attack by the Boko Haram terrorists .