A member of the House of Representatives, Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau), has claimed that over the years, Boko Haram insurgents carted away arms worth trillions of naira in their attacks on military formations in the North East.
He stated this in his contribution on Tuesday to a motion by Ahmed Satomi (Borno) on the fire incident at the 127 Battalion armoury in Giwa Barracks and the increasing wave of insurgent attacks on military bases in Borno and Yobe States.
Gagdi said the scale of destruction and looting of military assets by insurgents was unprecedented, warning that the continued failure of government to act could spark public backlash against elected officials.
“The heaviness of the content of this motion will be better appreciated, if we are privileged to see the pictures of what Boko Haram did to Giwa Barracks and other attacks within military formations in Borno State. Mr. Speaker, the pictures I saw, I am scared. I am scared whether the safety of the Nigerian civilians within the Nigerian territorial land can be guaranteed,” he said.
He noted that the National Assembly had budgeted money for arms and ammunition; tanks numbering more than 40, including other platforms, worth trillions of naira for the Nigerian military, aimed at safeguarding our people.
“How can we guarantee the safety of the Nigerian people in the circumstance that the platforms that are meant to protect these people have been taken away by the enemies of the people? Mr. Speaker, we have been doing our best under your leadership.
“The National Assembly has been speaking on issues of insecurity. But Mr. Speaker, actions by departments of government must be taken. Mr. President must hold Nigerian military strategic commandants and other security agencies accountable for negligence of their responsibility.
“Mr. Speaker, the everyday resolutions we pass are not enough. We must summon agencies of the government to publicly account for their responsibilities and failures,” he said.
Gagdi further warned that the widening insecurity and perceived government indifference could erode public trust in democratic institutions, posing a direct threat to lawmakers and political leaders across the country.
“We are moving to a level where Nigerians will fight us the way they fight criminals and Boko Haram,” he said. “If action is not taken, Nigerians will take their destinies into their own hands.”
He also alleged the tendency by federal officials to downplay warnings from state governors, saying such dismissals undermine the authority of chief security officers at the state level.
“While people are being killed, some sit in the comfort of their offices and say the governor is raising unnecessary alarm. This is unacceptable.”
Gagdi called on President Bola Tinubu to hold strategic military commanders and security chiefs accountable for negligence and operational lapses, stressing that “government must do the needful.”
The motion, which followed a series of recent attacks in Borno and other parts of the country, was adopted by the House, with lawmakers resolving to summon relevant security agencies for further briefing.
Earlier in his lead debate, Satomi had caused for an investigation into the fire incident at the Nigerian military armoury in Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri.
He described the incident and the escalating attacks on military formations in Borno and Yobe States as a grave threat to national security and public safety.
He noted that several military installations had come under heavy assault, resulting in the loss of lives among soldiers and civilians.
“The bravery and sacrifice of our military personnel are being tested by these relentless assaults,” the motion stated, adding that surrounding civilian communities remain exposed to extreme danger.
PUNCH.
