The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has urged President Bola Tinubu to draw $5bn from the nation’s external reserves for an emergency security intervention to tackle the worsening killings, terrorism, banditry and mass abductions in Northern Nigeria.
The lawmakers, who described the scale of attacks across the region as intolerable, also called for sustained, intelligence-led military operations to reclaim territories controlled by terrorists and criminal gangs and rescue abducted citizens.
In a statement on Thursday signed by its leader, Fredrick Agbedi, and spokesman, Afam Ogene, the caucus urged Tinubu to deploy overwhelming force against terrorist and bandit hideouts while denying the criminals freedom of movement, supply lines and communications.
Beyond military operations, the lawmakers called for an extraordinary increase in funding for the national security campaign, proposing that the Federal Government consider drawing $5bn from the nation’s external reserves if necessary.
“If funding is an issue, the government should draw $5bn from the nation’s external reserves for an extraordinary national security intervention.
