Zamfara massacre: Reps summon IGP, NSA, defence minister

The House of Representatives has summoned the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar, the Minister of Defence, Gen. Aliyu Mohammed Gusau (rtd), as well as the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), to appear before its joint Committees on security to give explanation on the recent killings of unarmed villagers by Fulani herdsmen in Zamfara state and the attacks by herdsmen in various parts of the country.

The resolution followed a motion on matters of urgent national importance  moved by Hon. Ibrahim Shehu Gusau (APC-Zamfara)
The House also resolved that the Army should establish battalions in those areas with a view to preventing future occurrences.
It also directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to supply relief materials to the affected villages.
Gusau in the motion condemned in strong terms the spate of killings around the country drawing attention of the House to what he termed “the wanton destruction of lives and property” through which about 15 different villages in the state where raided and over 200 innocent villagers were hacked down in cold blood.

He said: “Mr. Speaker, Honourable colleagues, the past 72 hours had witnessed unprovoked attacks on innocent villagers by Fulani herdsmen who now organize themselves on motorcycles with sophisticated weapons ranging from sub-machine guns, assorted rifles, and automatic weapons to unleash terror on helpless and defenceless villagers.
“The most surprising thing is that these attacks can go on for hours without any form of intervention from the security agencies in and around the state as the attackers did whatever they liked with their victims include raping of women.”
The House, therefore, resolved to summon the Defence Minister, the IGP who incidentally are from Zamfara state, as well as the NSA, to brief its joint committees on security on the situation.