13th May, 2014
By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
President Goodluck Jonathan has written to the National Assembly to seek the extension of the state of emergency in three Northeastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.
The President said in a letter sent to the Senate and read by Senate President David Mark to Senators on Tuesday morning that there is need to extend the state of emergency because the security situation in the three states has not improved as attacks by the insurgent group Boko Haram has not abated.
There have been calls for the lifting of the state of emergency, which was first imposed on the three States mid last year and was renewed last November, by some stakeholders in the Northeast region following arguments that it has not achieved its aim of curbing the insurgency.
Despite the state of emergency which must be renewed every six months with the approval of the National Assembly, Boko Haram has continued to carry out attacks in the three states.
If the Senate gives its approval, this will be the second extension of the state of emergency in the three Northeast states.
Over 2000 lives have been lost in such attacks in the first three months of the year.
The abduction of the girls has put Nigeria’s war against the insurgents under global searchlight with many concluding that the insurgent group appear to be having the upper hand.
Also, in spite of the state of emergency, the insurgent group on 14 April abducted 234 students at Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, in Borno State, an action that has attracted worldwide condemnation.
Military and counter insurgency experts from countries like the United States, France and United Kingdom are already in Nigeria to help to rescue the girls.