The House of Representatives has asked Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to include Kaduna and Plateau among the States to be visited by Governor David Umahi’s sub-committee of the National Economic Council (NEC).
The National Economic Council recently set up a Working Group Subcommittee to be chaired by Ebonyi State Governor, Mr. David Umahi, to visit states affected by the Herdsmen-Farmers Conflict to hold consultations with stakeholders and interested parties on how to bring an end to the conflicts; the affected States to be visited by the Committee as Benue, Taraba, Zamfara and Adamawa States and excluding Kaduna and Plateau States.
Concerned by the exclusion of the two States, the Member, Representing Zangon Kataf/Jaba Federal Constituency in Kaduna State, Barr. Sunday Marshall Katung moved a motion of urgent public importance, seeking the inclusion of Kaduna and Plateau states in the states affected by the farmer/herdsmen clashes, and listed for visitation by the panel constituted by the NEC.
He called on Members to support the motion, saying that: “this is yet another opportunity to show Nigerians that we truly care about them.”
He gave a brief narrative of clashes from 1980 to date, with attendant loss of lives and destruction of property.
He said the omission of these two states from the interactions and consultations with the Subcommittee will only ensure that the conflicts are not finally, comprehensively and conclusively addressed.
He argued that the inclusion of Kaduna and Plateau States will advance the true objectives of the Osinbajo’s led committee.
While contributing to the debate, Hon. Jagaba Adams Jagaba stated that the farmer/herdsman crisis began in Southern Kaduna.
He said that one of the biggest farmers in the area was recently killed after being trailed for a while.
“In this country, we have to do things in such a way that everyone has a sense of belonging. The number of people killed in Southern Kaduna is three times those killed in Benue, but in our own case, we don’t have a voice. Come 2019, we have decided that the voter’s card is our AK47. We are going to vote out people that are insensitive to our security”, he said.
Hon. Mohammed Sani Abdu also supported the motion and corroborated Hon. Jagaba’s narration of the crisis beginning in Southern Kaduna.
After much deliberations on the motion, the House mandated it’s Committee on Public Safety and Intelligence to immediately contact and liaise with the Office of the Vice President to ensure the inclusion of both Kaduna and Plateau States among the states affected by the crisis that the National Economic Council Working Group Subcommittee and report back to the House within two (2) weeks.
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