After Boarding School Massacre Nigerian Senate Orders Army To North East

             

According to Saharareporters, New York

With 59 school children dead in Yobe State, the Senate Defence Committee ordered the Nigerian Army to the North East today to provide protection.

On Wednesday, 59 school children at a boarding school in Yobe state were burned or shot when the Islamist group, Boko Haram set the school on fire.


Boko Haram means "Western education is sinful," in the Hausa language.

President Goodluck Jonathan called the attack "callous and senseless murder…"

The Senate Defence Committee, chaired by Senator George Thompson Sekibo suspended budget hearings to pass a resolution which ordered the Nigerian Army to the North East.

Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Kenneth Minimah was ordered to provide security for all schools and health institutions in the Boko Haram affected areas to include Maiduguri and Yobe.

General Minimah thanked the Committee for its concern and said, "...it will be the last of such from the insurgents."

The resolution, introduction by Senator Ojudu from Ekiti Central, was critical of the military's failure to pick up intelligence before the attack and its slowness to respond to the attack for five hours.

Ojudu said, "The North East calls for special attention and we should not be seating down here in Abuja discussing budget while our young ones are being slaughtered in cold blood."

The motion by Senator Ojudu, was seconded by Senator Jubrilla Bindo, Vice Chairman of the Committee.

The resolution condemned the atrocities caused by Boko Haram and the Committee regrets the killing of school children in Yoba.

It ordered the army to develop a strategy to curb to the attacks of Boko Haram using all military resources, and relocate to Maiduguri temporarily.

All schools and health institutions to be provided with special security. 

And the Committee of Defense invited the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to provide the Armed Forces with what it needs.

The Committee of Defence will tour the three affected states when the Senate resumes it plenary.

The budget hearing was suspended until a future date.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      posted by Emanto Ngaloru  Feb 26, 2014.