Legislature
Underage marriage in the North fuels insecurity, says senator Odebiyi
***Senate asks FG to declare all known leaders of terrorists wanted
The senator representing Ogun West Tolu Odebiyi has warned that unless under aged marriage that gives room for children that are already in poverty to procreate is outlawed in the North, insecurity will continue to linger
The senator spoke while contributing to a motion entitled “Urgent need to surmount all kinds of kidnappings, banditry and related security challenges in Wasagu-Danko, Sakaba and Yauri Local Government Areas of Kebbi”.
Continuing Odebiyi said,
“We seem to be very reactive and very adhoc on how we solve problems such as security in this country but I think we need to go a bit deeper, if you look at from 2013 we had about 4million children out of school, today you have 14m children out of school add that to about 100 million people in poverty especially if you look at the northeast and the northwest.
“It is a fertile ground for recruiting bandits especially when you put that in conjunction with the break down of countries around Nigeria in the Sahel and all those areas it will provide a fertile environment.
“If you add that to under age marriage, children that are already in poverty giving birth and those children will grow up and land in poverty again
Military cannot do so much it is a holistic approach.
“If we sit down here by 2025 we will have 20million children out of school, the security issue in this country will continue to get worse.
“So all these adhoc reaction of calling on Army, the police, we must have a compressive approach and declare a marshal law against out of school children.
“As long as we have poverty and more children out of school, as long as we have under age children giving birth, to more poverty, it is a fertile ground.” He said Nigeria is bordered by countries where terrorist groups aggregate to recruit. The children are vulnerable for recruitment
He said adhoc reaction and buying of Tucano jets and bombing will not solve the problem because the variables are not there for these issues
“This thing must be looked at holistically. You have been talking about these out of school children, in 2013 we had 4million, now 2022 we have 14million and by 2025 we will have 20million out if school children.
These are the issues that are creating banditry, terrorism .”
The Senate in it’s resolution on the motion which was moved by Sen. Bala Ibn Na’Allah (APC-Kebbi) and co-sponsored by 12 other senators during plenary urged the Federal Government to declare all known leaders of terrorists wanted.
The upper chamber equally called for the establishment of an operational base within Danko/Wasagu and Sakaba Local Government Areas of Kebbi affected by “the current rise in security challenges”.
The upper chamber also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to deploy massively, the military and other law enforcement agencies to conduct a rigorous operation that will bring to an end the banditry and cattle rustling in the affected LGAs.
It equally urged the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to as a matter of urgency provide relief materials to the affected areas.
The Senate also urged all relevant agencies, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and private philanthropist to come to the assistance of the victims of violence and humanitarian disaster.
Moving the motion, Na’Allah said that “it is no longer news that the bandits are moving in hundreds from village to village, house to house in search of cattle to rustle and people to abduct.
“The bandits have been reportedly laying siege around Yar-kuka, Morai, Dankade to Wadako and recently in Bena where 20 people were abducted.”
He further said that if urgent steps to tackle the security challenges were not taken, the peace-loving communities may be forced to resort to self-defence by acquiring arms and ammunition.
Contributing Sen. Adamu Aliero (APC-Kebbi) said “recently we purchased Tucano Aircrafts which can be used to move out the bandits.
“It has the ability to trace the movement of these bandits. If they are rustling cows, I wonder how they move them without being detected.
“I urge security forces to intensify efforts to stop banditry in the state.”
Also, Sen. Sani Musa (APC-Niger) said that “the security situation is becoming alarming not only in Kebbi but in surrounding states like Niger.
“Human beings are lost every day; and we enjoy to stand and do one minute silence.
“Apart from calling on security agencies to intensify efforts in the fight against insecurity, leaders should fear God,” he said.
In his remarks, President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan said “let us never be discouraged because sometimes we fill why are we doing this when nothing is happening.
“There is a limit to what we can do but we must do what we are supposed to do well.
“We can only do oversight to put pressure but we can’t execute. We can’t command anyone to go anywhere but what we do here is very significant.
“We should continue to debate it and follow on with some actions. We have approved significant resources, funds recently in both the Supplementary Budget of 2021 and the Appropriation Act of 2022 for armed forces and other security agencies
“The time has come for all security and defence-related committees to oversight on the releases of funds to these agencies” Lawan said.
The National Assembly has modified the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act to prescribe life imprisonment for individuals found guilty of storing, transporting, or concealing illicit drugs and substances.
The amendment was adopted on Thursday during plenary, presided over by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, following broad support from the senators.
The amendment reflects a harmonised position of the Senate and the House of Representatives on Section 11 of the NDLEA Act.
The House had earlier passed an amendment prescribing life imprisonment for drug traffickers, while the Senate had proposed the death penalty.
To reconcile the differences, a conference committee of both chambers was convened. Senator Tahir Monguno, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters, presented the harmonised version to the Senate.
He urged lawmakers to adopt the House’s position of life imprisonment, arguing that enforcing the death penalty could lead to the execution of over 900 accused persons currently awaiting trial for drug-related offenses.
The Deputy Senate President who presided over the plenary had put the resolution to a voice vote, and the majority of senators supported the amendment.
The approved version stipulates life imprisonment for offenders.
The amended section now reads:
“Anybody who is unlawfully involved in the storage, custody, movement, carriage, or concealment of dangerous drugs or controlled substances and who, while so involved, is armed with any offensive weapon or is disguised in any way, shall be guilty of an offence under this Act and liable on conviction to be sentenced to life imprisonment.”
This amendment aims to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking while addressing concerns over human rights and the judicial implications of the death penalty.
The move is part of efforts to curb the growing menace of drug trafficking and its adverse effects on Nigerian society. According to Senator Monguno, the life imprisonment penalty strikes a balance between deterrence and humane judicial practice.
With the amendment, the NDLEA now has a robust legal framework to prosecute offenders and combat drug-related crimes effectively.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally requested the National Assembly’s approval for a $2.209 billion (₦1.767 trillion) external borrowing plan to finance part of the ₦9.17 trillion fiscal deficit in the 2024 budget. The loan, included in the 2024 Appropriation Act, is critical to the government’s broader strategy for economic recovery and growth.
In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu noted that the borrowing aligns with the provisions of Sections 21(1) and 27(1) of the Debt Management Office (DMO) Establishment Act, 2003. He also indicated that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved the plan.
The President explained that the funds would be sourced through Eurobonds or similar external financial instruments. A detailed summary of the loan’s terms and conditions accompanied the letter to guide legislative scrutiny.
“This borrowing is necessary to address the budget deficit and fulfill our fiscal strategy for 2024. Swift approval will enable us to move forward with mobilizing these funds,” the President stated, emphasizing the urgency of the request.
Senate President Akpabio referred the matter to the Committee on Local and Foreign Deb
By Isah Bala
Access to quality education is a cornerstone of societal progress, and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is embodying this vision by bringing transformative educational tools to Kogi Central. In a groundbreaking initiative, the senator recently provided 5,000 digital learning devices to public primary and secondary schools in her district, aiming to bridge the digital divide and set a new educational standard.
The devices, unveiled at Abdul Aziz Attah Memorial College (AAAMCO), are preloaded with the Nigerian curriculum from UBEC and internationally acclaimed educational resources, including Khan Academy and Discovery Kids. Through this initiative, students will experience interactive learning, enabling them to explore subjects in depth, enhance digital literacy, and engage with complex topics in a hands-on way.
This project is just the beginning of Senator Natasha’s ambitious plan to make “smart schools” the norm in Kogi Central. She envisions a future where every child in her district has equal access to digital learning, stating, “My dream is to equip all public primary and secondary schools in Kogi Central with digital learning devices before the end of my tenure in 2027.”
Beyond device distribution, the senator’s initiative includes UBEC-led teacher training to ensure educators are equipped to integrate these tools into their classrooms effectively.
With this dual approach of student and teacher empowerment, Senator Natasha is laying a foundation that will support digital literacy and skill development for years to come.
Senator Natasha’s commitment to educational advancement represents a significant step forward for Kogi Central, ensuring that young students have access to the tools they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world. This initiative marks her dedication to the constituency that entrusted her with this mandate.
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