Kabir Marafa, Senator representing Zamfara Central, has accused
Senate President, Bukola Saraki of preventing members from expressing
themselves at the Nigerian Senate.
Marafa said this on Tuesday after Saraki asked him to go straight to
the point as he narrated an issue relating to security in his home state
of Zamfara.
He said, “I have given you the summary: the chief adviser of the
governor is the principal accused and the government disbanded all
organisations for these people to protect themselves. From that day,
criminals roam my constituency with rifles. Nobody can defend themselves
in Zamfara.
“I was also told that then we had 70 military officers but now we
have more than 1,000 and nothing is being done. It is going on every
day, people being kidnapped. This senate needs to ask some questions.
“If these military men are not answerable to the governor or they are
disobeying him, the governor needs to say it so that this senate or the
federal government can take a position. It is just not enough to keep
the blame on the door step of the federal government.
“You don’t allow members of the National Assembly to discuss
anything, you don’t allow anybody to take it, and you don’t allow
leaders to take action. Mr. President, my zone is under siege and I
would continue to say it on this floor of the senate. Unless I am
allowed to do this, I will resign from this floor of the senate and go,”
he said.
Responding, Saraki called on the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, to “take
note” but frowned at Marafa for being absent to take up the matter at
the just concluded National Security Summit the Senate held.