Senate President, Senator David Mark Tuesday said that Boko Haram has declared total war on Nigeria, charging the Federal Government to confront and defeat the terrorists.
Mark, who stated this while welcoming the Senators back from annual recess described the activities of Boko Haram sect as deliberate attempt to humiliate Nigeria as a sovereign nation.
He said, “The escalation of violence and the heinous crimes daily perpetrated by insurgents and terrorists including the declaration of a Caliphate has reached alarming proportions.
He said, “The escalation of violence and the heinous crimes daily perpetrated by insurgents and terrorists including the declaration of a Caliphate has reached alarming proportions.
“Regrettably, the Boko Haram sect, these harbingers of death have become more emboldened and daring, killing innocent Nigerians and destroying property at will.
“From abductions, kidnappings and bombings, the situation has now degenerated to capturing and occupying some parts of Nigeria.
“In what is obviously intended to humiliate us as a sovereign nation and test our resolve, the terrorists have brazenly hoisted their flags to confirm their assault and affront on our collective will as a nation.
“My dear colleagues, to put it otherwise is to shy away from the truth. In my candid opinion, the Boko Haram sect has in no unmistakable terms declared a total war on Nigeria and Nigerians. “Their ideology is alien to our culture. We must as a people and nation handle this situation with all the seriousness it deserves.
“I have consistently advocated dialogue as the needed panacea to this malaise. Sure, dialogue must not be ruled out but this time around, with this scale of warfare, we must first demonstrate our strength, confront and defeat these terrorists and insurgents before we resort to dialogue.
“I am yet to come to terms with what the Boko Haram sect actually wants. And I dare ask what offence has the Chibok girls or any other school child, a market woman or artisan struggling to earn a living committed that he or she deserves to be felled and decimated daily by the bombs and arsenals of these insurgents?
“This war has certainly come to our door-steps. As Senators of the Federal Republic, destiny has entrusted us to be at the helm of affairs today. We must all rise to the current challenge. The government must be supported fully by this Senate to confront the challenge head-long. Therefore, we must devise a better strategy to win this war at the earliest possible time. We must come out with clear, concise and unequivocal mission statement on how to win this war.
“As I have repeatedly said, we must as a matter of urgency, fish out the financiers of these terrorists and all collaborators wherever they are, and bring them to book.
“In what is obviously intended to humiliate us as a sovereign nation and test our resolve, the terrorists have brazenly hoisted their flags to confirm their assault and affront on our collective will as a nation.
“My dear colleagues, to put it otherwise is to shy away from the truth. In my candid opinion, the Boko Haram sect has in no unmistakable terms declared a total war on Nigeria and Nigerians. “Their ideology is alien to our culture. We must as a people and nation handle this situation with all the seriousness it deserves.
“I have consistently advocated dialogue as the needed panacea to this malaise. Sure, dialogue must not be ruled out but this time around, with this scale of warfare, we must first demonstrate our strength, confront and defeat these terrorists and insurgents before we resort to dialogue.
“I am yet to come to terms with what the Boko Haram sect actually wants. And I dare ask what offence has the Chibok girls or any other school child, a market woman or artisan struggling to earn a living committed that he or she deserves to be felled and decimated daily by the bombs and arsenals of these insurgents?
“This war has certainly come to our door-steps. As Senators of the Federal Republic, destiny has entrusted us to be at the helm of affairs today. We must all rise to the current challenge. The government must be supported fully by this Senate to confront the challenge head-long. Therefore, we must devise a better strategy to win this war at the earliest possible time. We must come out with clear, concise and unequivocal mission statement on how to win this war.
“As I have repeatedly said, we must as a matter of urgency, fish out the financiers of these terrorists and all collaborators wherever they are, and bring them to book.
“My appeal to you, my bosses, is to continue to provide the necessary legislative framework that is needed to win this war.
On Ebola, Mark said, “Another issue of grave national and international concern is the unfortunate outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus. As if the man-made peril posed by insurgency and terrorism was not terrible enough, a new molecular peril with a potentially more profound lethality arrived from neighbouring Liberia in July.
On Ebola, Mark said, “Another issue of grave national and international concern is the unfortunate outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus. As if the man-made peril posed by insurgency and terrorism was not terrible enough, a new molecular peril with a potentially more profound lethality arrived from neighbouring Liberia in July.
“Although our customs forbid us from speaking ill of the dead, I must say, I deplore the conduct of this vile and irresponsible visitor, Patrick Sawyer. His condemnable action has left a huge burden and everlasting scar on the nation.
“However, what is reassuring is that government has been able to contain further spread of the epidemic. One useful lesson from the outbreak of the Ebola Virus is that Nigerians are now more conscious of their personal hygiene.
“However, what is reassuring is that government has been able to contain further spread of the epidemic. One useful lesson from the outbreak of the Ebola Virus is that Nigerians are now more conscious of their personal hygiene.
“This notwithstanding, Government at all levels must now leverage on this preventive measure to check further spread. What this ultimately calls for is good and implementable health care delivery system in Nigeria.
“As schools resume for the new academic session, it is incumbent on all heads of educational institutions to make adequate arrangement to ensure that the Ebola Virus does not in any way spread within the precincts of their schools and put the lives of our children in danger”.
“As schools resume for the new academic session, it is incumbent on all heads of educational institutions to make adequate arrangement to ensure that the Ebola Virus does not in any way spread within the precincts of their schools and put the lives of our children in danger”.
