Yobe, Adamawa, Borno under emergency rule

UNDERSCORING his administration’s determination to confront the growing incidence of violence and insecurity in the country, President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in three northern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

Justifying the need for the measure, Jonathan bemoaned the breakdown of law and order in the affected states, parts of where he said insurgents had taken over.

Jonathan, who announced this in a national television broadcast, said the details of the emergency rule proclamation would be transmitted to the National Assembly.

He said, “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 actions, 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.

“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.”

Before the presidential broadcast, Jonathan had earlier in the day met with the governors of Borno and Yobe states, Kashim Shetima and Ibrahim Geidam, respectively.

Nasarawa, where members of a cult group, Omatse Militia, murdered 30 policemen late last week, however, escaped emergency rule.

Curiously, however, the President said the governors and other elected officers of the three affected states would remain in office during the emergency rule, a measure that senior lawyers, Itse Sagay and Femi Falana, hailed on Tuesday.

PUNCH