The House of Representatives yesterday asked the Federal Government to dislodge the dreaded Boko Haram sect from Bama, Ngala and Kala- Balge local government areas of Borno State. Members of Boko Haram had taken over the three local government areas in their various onslaughts.
The lawmakers also called on the government to provide security and additional manpower to the areas to rid them of the activities of insurgents.
The resolution of the House was sequel to a motion raised by Hon. Abdulrahaman Abba Terab on the need to reclaim Bama, Ngala and Kala-Balge local government areas and other adjoining local government areas around Bama/Ngala/ Kala-Balge federal constituency currently under the control of the Boko Haram insurgents.
In his prayer, Terab called on the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to liaise with their Camerounian counterparts to provide relief materials to the refugees currently in Fotokol, Kusuri and Garwa in the French-speaking nation.
In the same vein, the House of Representatives urged the Federal Government to grant Qatar Airways landing rights to operate at the Malam Aminu Kano International and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe International airports.
The House in its resolution called on the government to lift the suspension placed on the operations of the Emirates Airline to land in the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano State.
The resolution was based on a motion sponsored by Hon. Aliyu Sani Madaki and 35 other lawmakers on the: need to grant passenger and freighter rights to Qatar Airways for the Kano and Abuja international airports routes and to lift the suspension of flight operations of Emirates Airline to Malam Aminu Kano International Airport.
According to Madaki, commercial landing rights were granted to some international airlines, including Emirates Airline, to operate commercial flights from the Kano airport.
He said that the House was aware of an appeal by the Embassy of Nigeria in Doha, Qatar, for Qatar Airways to be allowed passenger and freighter rights to Mallam Aminu Kano and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe International airports.
He noted that the government was not taking advantage of granting flying rights to the Qatar Airways. Madaki said granting Qatar Airways the flying rights would open up business opportunities and bring about the necessary investments to stimulate the economy.
"The government of Qatar, through its Qatar Investment Authority, which is the equivalent of Nigeria’s Sovereign Wealth Investment Authority, has the mandate to invest in any foreign country in the areas of agriculture and agro-allied industries, telecommunications, energy, education, real estate and banking," he added.
"The areas of investments mentioned are realisable, if Qatar Airways is allowed flying rights to Kano and Abuja international airports."
He was disturbed that the landing rights earlier granted to the Emirates Airline for commercial flights to Kano airport was suspended on the grounds of security challenges.
"Internal security challenges had never prevented international flight operations, given that flights still operate in Lebanon, Syria etc., despite serious security challenges in those countries.
"Despite the claim of security challenges, other international flight operations are being carried out, including Turkish Air and other airlines," he added.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government yesterday said it was doing everything possible to win the war against insurgents and ensure adequate security in the country.
Dr. Ralph Bello-Fadile from the Office of National Security Adviser in the Presidency stated this at a one-day programme organised by the Africa Programme of Chatham House. The programme was entitled "Addressing the Boko Haram crisis: Lessons, responses and next steps".
The Africa Programme of Chatham House is an institution that develops foreign policy orientated research on issues affecting individual states of Africa, their international relations and Africa continent as a whole.
According to Bello-Fadile, the Federal Government is doing everything within its power to quickly end the insurgency.
"We are not resting, we are using our military, we are using the soft approach and we are reaching out to elders in the areas to get across to the insurgent groups.
"We are also calling on them to lay down their arms and come out and let’s join hands together to develop Nigeria."
He said that President Goodluck Jonathan had also approved a National Counter- Terrorism Strategy as a long-term strategy.
The strategy, he added, was about what Nigerians should do in fighting terrorism and preventing it.
Bello-Fadile said the strategy also included efforts agents of government should provide to ensure that people did not get to the extreme.
"The insurgency is in a peculiar area, a peculiar war and in a peculiar environment that we are fighting.
"So we have trained all our soldiers and they all have their pamphlets and are to be conscious of human rights violations.’"
He said it was not enough to say there were human rights violations; "where are the evidence?" noting that people always refused to testify to the rights violations.
"But then, they still go out and publish these reports and that is the problem that we are having.’"
Dr. Mare-Antoine Perouse de Montclos, the Associate Fellow of the Africa Programme, Chatham House, said that the Federal Government needed to reassess the role and mandate of the armed forces in the North-East.
Perouse de Montclos said that the international community must encourage a mandate that prioritised the protection of civilians and witnesses.
He added that in the longer term, government must work toward professionalising the armed forces within a democratic context, particularly, the police force.
Also, Ms. Elizabeth Donnelly, the Assistant Head and Research Fellow, said that the programme was organised to interact with world renowned experts on insurgency in Nigeria.
She noted that the international community was worried about terrorism in the northern part of the country.
"There were lack of information and data, so Chatham House is carrying out research that seeks to help government in decision making," she said.
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