Reps summon Buhari over slain Borno farmers

The House of Representatives on Tuesday resolved to invite President Muhammadu Buhari over the killing of 43 farmers in Borno State on Saturday and the general security crisis in the country.

The farmers were attacked in the Zabarmari area of Borno State by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect.

Before the decision was taken on Tuesday, the House had become rowdy as members were sharply divided over a motion seeking to invite Buhari to explain the rising spate of insecurity in the country.

The House was considering a motion moved by members from Borno State on the recent massacre of 43 rice farmers in the state by Boko Haram insurgents.

Part of the prayers was to invite Buhari to appear on the floor of the House and address the lawmakers in plenary.

The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila; Majority Leader, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa; and Chairman, House Committee on Air Force, Shehu Koko, among others, made frantic efforts to have the prayer dropped but failed.

Gbajabiamila’s plea that a state of emergency be adopted instead was also rebuffed.

The speaker was forced to ask that the lawmakers have an executive (closed-door) session.

Emerging from the closed-door session, Gbajabiamila asked one of the sponsors of the motion, Ahmad Jaha, to make an amendment to the motion.

Jaha prayed the House to invite the president as proposed in the original motion.

The Speaker put the amended motion to a voice vote and it was unanimously adopted by the lawmakers.