The Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, has called on the Federal Government to extend the curfew in the state from 7 pm to 10 pm as a measure to check the daily attacks carried out by members of Boko Haram in the state.
Lawan made this request during a visit to the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, in company with other lawmakers, in Abuja on Friday.
The Speaker said that military operations in the state had reduced the crime rate and violence significantly. But he called for an extension of the dusk-to-dawn curfew because of the negative effect on Muslims, who had not been able to go their respective mosques for prayers.
In his response, Moro said the request would be considered, adding that it would be relayed to President Jonathan for approval.
He said, “The President will do whatever is necessary to make the people safe. Suicide bombers are not ghosts; they live among the people and it is the responsibility of the community to dissuade them from the mayhem being unleashed on Nigerians.”
The minister noted that the present emergency rule in Borno State and other parts of the country was a temporary measure aimed at protecting human lives and property in the state.
He urged Boko Haram to go back to the roundtable with the government, adding that their reservations would be considered.
Also in Abuja, the national commandant of a group known as the Peace Corps of Nigeria Dr. Dickson Akoh, described the breakdown of the talks between the Federal Government and Boko Haram as unhealthy.
Reacting to the current security challenge facing the nation, Akoh said that while terrorism was condemnable, Nigerians, irrespective of their political, tribal or religious leaning, should desist from making inflammatory comments that were capable of threatening the fragile peace in the country.
He said, “We are worried about the reported breakdown of dialogue between the Federal Government and Boko Haram, which has been responsible for the series of bomb blasts rocking the nation.
“We therefore call on the government to explore all possible avenues to resume dialogue with the Islamic sect.”
Akoh urged the govt to immortalise two members of the Boys Scouts Movement who lost their lives in a recent bomb blast in Jos, adding that the gesture would help promote the spirit of patriotism among Nigerian youths.
The PCN boss called for appropriate legislation by the National Assembly to back the setting up of a Social Security Trust Fund Scheme that would create a pool in which multinational corporations, companies and financial institutions can channel special taxes for youth development and employment opportunities.
Akoh said, “This scheme, when ideally backed by legislation, will create an avenue for multinational corporations, companies and financial institutions to pay special taxes into this fund with a view to bolstering the social security trust fund.”
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