By Raphael Oni
Hon. Lynda Ikpeazu, Member of the ECOWAS Parliament representing Nigeria has told the Parliament that Nigeria has not lost control in the fight against insecurity and is determined to ending the menace.
Ikpeazu made this known on Thursday in Abuja during the ongoing Extraordinary Session of the Parliament, responding to recommendations for a concerted regional effort to assist Nigeria fight the insecurity ravaging the country.
Ikpeazu who appreciated Members of Parliament for their concerns said that Nigeria is exploring all measures, with high level of determination to fight terrorism, banditry and other forms of violence.
She said that insecurity in the region is not peculiar to Nigeria, stating that the nation has a stable political situation. According to the Nigerian law maker, “Nigeria is determined to solve the insecurity confronting the country and several efforts are ongoing. We are however not too big to get help from anyone and I am not the Executive so I cannot speak on that. Nigeria is not the only country in the region facing insecurity and we are not just folding our hands, there are serious efforts ongoing in the fight against insecurity”,.
Ikpeazu noted that insecurity is a ripple effect of bad governance, poverty and human rights violation that is why the Nigerian National Assembly has taken steps of its constitution amendment to address triggers of insecurity.
She said that the House of Representative convened a summit of the Constitution amendment and to get the input of all Nigerians in the process.
In her words, “The National Assembly is holding public hearings across the country to get the suggestions from the Nigerian people on the best ways to govern the country. This will enable us get the views, and contributions of Nigeria to constitution process the which would in turn make them have a feeling of inclusiveness in the process.
Ikpeazu assured the regional lawmakers that “Nigeria has definitely not lost control, we have a situation and we are working tirelessly towards addressing it”.
Speaking in the same vein, Hon. Francis Alimikhena, said that Nigeria has taken several steps which has yielded positive results in the fight against terrorism.
Alimikhena however noted that a collaborated joint-border approach would further help Nigeria and the region in winning the war against terrors as most of the insurgents are habouring in neigbouring countries. According to him,
“If we get the cooperation of other neighbouring countries then we can be sure to win in the fight, because most of the terrorism elements when they are being fought from Nigeria, habour and begin to operate from bordering countries.
Alimikhena explained that the Federal government of Nigeria and the military have been responsive that is why as of now the Service Chiefs were changed. In his words, “And with the way the new Service Chiefs are going, we are sure that the war in the North/East will soon be a thing of the past”.
