The Nasarawa State House of Assembly on Friday passed a resolution authorising the Federal Government to deduct the state’s share of the $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account.
The authorisation is to facilitate the procurement of military equipment to fight insurgency and other security challenges in the country.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, made the disclosure at an emergency plenary in Lafia after the Majority Leader, Alhaji Tanko Tunga (APC-Awe North), presented a letter of request on the issue to Governor Umaru Al-Makura.
Abdullahi said approving the request would go a long way in tackling insurgency and other security challenges facing the country.
He said: “We have approved the governor’s request, considering the security challenges facing the country, in which our state is also affected.
“The role of security personnel cannot be over-emphasised, especially in the area of protection of lives and properties of citizens.
“Already, many lives have been lost and properties destroyed, due to insecurity in the country but we must rise to salvage the situation.”
The speaker directed the Clerk of the House to produce a copy of the resolution for the governor’s further action.
Meanwhile, the House also set up a three-member ad-hoc committee to investigate the alleged involvement of Kassim Mohammed (APC-Akwanga South) in a protest at the national headquarters of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja.
The speaker said the lawmaker had allegedly joined a group demanding the removal of Senator Osita Izunaso as the National Organising Secretary of the party.
The setting up of the committee by the speaker followed a motion brought under matter of public interest by the Majority Leader, Alhaji Tanko Tunga.
Tunga said Mohammed should be investigated because the protest was capable of tarnishing the image of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly and the state at large.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the ad-hoc committee is to be chaired by Mohammed Ibrahim (APC-Lafia North), with Abubakar Imam (APC-Lafia Central) and Ibrahim Muluku (APC-Nassarawa Eggon East) as members.