ANGERED by the upsurge in insurgent activities in parts of the north, President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa State with a directive to the military hierarchy to carry out more personnel deployment in the affected states.

In a nationwide radio and television broadcast, the president however said that governors of the affected state would retain their posts and continue with their normal duties.

He said in spite of the robust steps government has taken to unravel the root causes of the crisis, it would appear that there was a systematic effort by the insurgents and terrorists to destabilize the Nigerian state as security challenges have escalated in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Kano, Plateau and most recently, Bayelsa, Taraba, Benue and Nasarawa States.

The president observed that the crises have led to needless loss of lives of innocent Nigerians including members of the security forces.

Jonathan revealed that security briefings he received indicated that the nation was not just facing militancy or criminality, but a rebellion and insurgency by terrorist groups which posed a very serious threat to national unity and territorial integrity.

He added that already, some northern parts of Borno state have been taken over by groups whose allegiance is to different flags and ideologies.

The full text of the President’s address goes:
“It has become necessary for me to address you on the recent spate of terrorist activities and protracted security challenges in some parts of the country, particularly in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Kano, Plateau and most recently Bayelsa, Taraba, Benue and Nasarawa states.

These unfortunate events have led to needless loss of lives and property of many innocent Nigerians including members of our security forces.

“The recent killing of security operatives by a cult group in Nasarawa state is particularly condemnable. I have directed that no effort or expense be spared in identifying and bringing to justice all those who had a hand in the killing of the operatives.

“The activities of insurgents and terrorists have been reprehensible, causing fear among our citizens and a near-breakdown of law and order in parts of the country, especially the North. We have taken robust steps to unravel and address the root causes of these crises, but it would appear that there is a systematic effort by insurgents and terrorists to destabilize the Nigerian state and test our collective resolve.

“Since I returned to the country after cutting short my visit to South Africa and aborting a planned state visit to Namibia, I have received detailed briefings from our security agencies. These briefings indicate that what we are facing is not just militancy or criminality, but a rebellion and insurgency by terrorist groups which pose a very serious threat to national unity and territorial integrity. Already, some northern parts of Borno state have been taken over by groups whose allegiance is to different flags and ideologies.

“These terrorists and insurgents seem determined to establish control and authority over parts of our beloved nation and to progressively overwhelm the rest of the country. In many places, they have destroyed the Nigerian flag and other symbols of state authority and in their place, hoisted strange flags suggesting the exercise of alternative sovereignty.

“They have attacked government buildings and facilities. They have murdered innocent citizens and state officials. They have set houses ablaze, and taken women and children as hostages. These actions amount to a declaration of war and a deliberate attempt to undermine the authority of the Nigerian state and threaten her territorial integrity. As a responsible government, we will not tolerate this.

“Previously, we adopted a multi-track approach to the resolution of this problem through actions which included persuasion, dialogue and widespread consultation with the political, religious and community leaders in the affected states.

“We exercised restraint to allow for all efforts by both State Governors and well-meaning Nigerians to stop the repeated cases of mindless violence.

“Yet, the insurgents and terrorists seek to prevent government from fulfilling its constitutional obligations to the people as they pursue their fanatical agenda of mayhem, mass murder, division and separatism.

“While the efforts at persuasion and dialogue will continue, let me reiterate that we have a sacred duty to ensure the security and well-being of all our people and protect the sovereign integrity of our country. Therefore, we shall, on no account, shy away from doing whatever becomes necessary to provide the fullest possible security for the citizens of this country in any part of the country they choose to reside.

“We have a duty to stand firm against those who threaten the sovereign integrity of the Nigerian state. Our will is strong, because our faith lies in the indivisibility of Nigeria.

“Following recent developments in the affected states, it has become necessary for Government to take extraordinary measures to restore normalcy.

After wide consultations, and in exercise of the powers conferred on me by the provisions of Section 305, sub-section 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, I hereby declare a State of Emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

“Accordingly, the Chief of Defence Staff has been directed to immediately deploy more troops to these states for more effective internal security operations. The troops and other security agencies involved in these operations have orders to take all necessary action, within the ambit of their rules of engagement, to put an end to the impunity of insurgents and terrorists.

“This will include the authority to arrest and detain suspects, the taking of possession and control of any building or structure used for terrorist purposes, the lock-down of any area of terrorist operation, the conduct of searches, and the apprehension of persons in illegal possession of weapons.

“The details of this Proclamation will be transmitted to the National Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. But in the meantime, let me make it clear that within the purview of this Proclamation, the Governors and other political office holders in the affected states will continue to discharge their constitutional responsibilities.

“I urge the political leadership in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states to co-operate maximally with the Armed Forces and the Police to ensure that the exercise succeeds. We call on the citizenry to co-operate with our security agencies to ensure a return to normalcy within the shortest possible time.

“I am again approaching our neighbouring countries, through diplomatic channels, as done in the recent past, for their co-operation in apprehending any terrorist elements that may escape across the border.

“Nigerians are peace-loving people; these sad events perpetrated by those who do not wish our nation well have not changed the essential character of our people.

“I want to reassure you all that those who are directly or indirectly encouraging any form of rebellion against the Nigerian state, and their collaborators; those insurgents and terrorists who take delight in killing our security operatives, whoever they may be, wherever they may go, we will hunt them down, we will fish them out, and we will bring them to justice. No matter what it takes, we will win this war against terror.

“I am convinced that with your support and prayers, we shall overcome these challenges and together, we will restore every part of our country to the path of peace, growth and development.

“Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Senate backs emergency rule in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa
Meanwhile, chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, has said the Senate is in support of the declaration of state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Speaking shortly after the broadcast by the president, Abaribe, in a telephone interview, said the Senate would fully support any measure taken to restore nomalcy in the troubled states.

“We are fully in support of any measure taken to restore nomalcy if it is in line with the Senate caucus meeting, where we said state of emergency does not really mean you remove the structure on the ground.

“We have always given the president a 100 per cent support in the task of addressing the problems of insurgency and other security challenges in the country,” he said.

Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, had earlier in the afternoon said the PDP caucus in the Senate would support the declaration of a state of emergency, provided such would not alter the democratic structure on the ground.

He had said the state of emergency, as envisaged in the 1999 Constitution (as amended), did not require dissolution of democratic structures in any of the affected states.

Also, the vice chairman, Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Senator Shaaba Lafiaji, described the move as a welcome development.

…Nigerians react
Festus Keyamo, activist: “The declaration of a State of Emergency by President Goodluck Jonathan in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States as a result of months of ceaseless bloodshed and carnage by insurgents is a step that has long been overdue.

The bloodletting in these states left the President with no other option but to take this extraordinary step. This step must be appreciated in the light of the refusal of the insurgents to even dialogue with the Federal Government.

”The primary duty of any Government is to protect lives and properties and it is only right that government should dig deep to find a lasting solution to this ceaseless carnage.

“However, there are strong caveats we must issue to government in respect of this extraordinary action:

That government must not in any way politicise this action. It is constitutionally correct that the President did not attempt to suspend the governors from office as nothing in Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) gives him such a power. What Obasanjo did in the past in suspending governors through a declaration of a State of Emergency was illegal, unconstitutional, null and void. Unfortunately, none of the governors had the mettle to challenge him in court.

That the military must be careful at all times not to trample on the fundamental rights of innocent citizens in these states, so that they do not become the scourge rather than solution.

The President must follow all the steps required inSection 305 of the 1999 Constitution as amended to legitimise his action.

That the moment calm is restored, the troops must return to the barracks so as not to give the military unholy ideas about their role in our democracy.

We all owe it a duty to assist government to restore law and order in the country. It is for our overall benefit.

Femi Falana: President Jonathan deserves commendation for acting within the ambit of the constitution. Unlike President Olusegun Obasanjo who illegally removed elected governors under the guise of a state of emergency President has not dissolved democratic structures in the affected states. That is in order because an elected governor can only be removed by impeachment, resignation or on ground of infirmity of body or mind and NOT through a state of emergency. For the avoidance of doubt the proviso to section 11 (4) of the constitution which empowers the National Assembly to take over the legislative powers of a state in case of emergency states that “ nothing in this section shall be construed as conferring on the National Assembly power to remove the Governor or the Deputy Governor of the State from office”. Having complied with the constitution with respect to the state of emergency in 3 states President Jonathan should henceforth demonstrate to Nigerians that the days of presidential impunity are gone for ever in the country.

Yinka Odumakin, Afenifere publicity secretary: We support the declaration of the state of emergency in those states because governance has broken down, as most of the local governments there are under effective control of Boko Haram. But we hope that government should do all that is needful and lawful to restore law and order because anarchy is looming in Nigeria and if nothing was done, Nigeria may go into flames.

If those who have been in power in those states are still going to be in charge, then the government action is not far-reaching and it means we are still dancing around the issue; we have a situation where the lives of soldiers and police are no longer safe.

Afenifere is watching with keen interest in those states as par action, we do not believe the action is not far-reaching enough if we are not going to go the whole hog.

Fredrick Fasehun, OPC leader: It didn’t come to me as a surprise. In fact, it was long expected because the buck stops at his table. And if insecurity is going to turn the country apart, he has to do something. It must not be acceptable to all, otherwise it will be unnatural. Some will agree while others will disagree but what is important here is the overall interest of the country. If northern leaders cannot find a solution to the problem, the president has to act. It is not far-reaching enough but is sympathetic to the governors because he probably believes the insecurity is not being caused by the governors so they should not suffer.

Head of Department of Political Science at the University of Ibadan, Professor Osisioma Nwolise: The Federal Government has just done what it should have done a long time ago. No government in any part of the world allows anybody to kill security agents and in this case, those behind the killings were just murdering Nigerians; a lot of people were killed last week. The president should have removed the government and the political leaders of those states, but the fact that he left the government and political leaders of those states shows that he is conscious and sensitive to the people and that the governors were not part of the problems. We will only hope that the security agents would perform their job diligently in such a manner that will affect other law-abiding residents of those states.

Fred Agbaje, a constitutional lawyer: “Is that truly a state of emergency he has declared? What he has done is highly hypocritical and runs against of the constitutional requirements as contained in Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, because the declaration of a state of emergency must warrant the National Assembly taking over the state houses of assembly of the affected states and allow administrators to sit in for the period. The presidency has failed in that regard.

“In any case, why now that he has set up an amnesty committee with tax payers money? What is going to become the state payers’ money they have spent so far? They (the Boko Haram members) said they didn’t want it (amnesty); the government still went ahead thinking that it will curb the criminal malady being perpetrated by sect. So, only a total state emergency not a haphazard or mockery of emergency can cure the criminal malady that is going on in those states.”

Senator Musiliu Obanikoro: He described the declaration of a state of emergency in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states as “the right thing politically, morally and religiously.

“Thousands of innocent lives have been lost unjustly as a result of the madness and recklessness of few disgruntled elements. They have inflicted untold hardship on all of us psychologically and physically. This is not time for partisanship but for patriotism.”

PDP backs Jonathan
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Tuesday, endorsed the state of emergency declaredby President Jonathan, saying it was the best step towards resolving the nation’s current security challenges.

In an electronic mail to the Nigerian Tribune last night, the national publicity secretary of the party, Chief Olisah Metu, said the PDP “supports the president on all actions that will restore stability, peace and progress in the body polity.”

According to him: “And we commend him for showing effective leadership at this point in time, you cannot make an omolete without breaking eggs,we are 100 per cent behind the president’s action and we call on all responsible citizens to rally round the security officials of the nation at this trying times.”
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