The Nigerian Senate has called on the Federal Government to allocate one percent of the Value Added Tax (VAT) to states affected by violence and destruction of properties following the #EndSARS protest hijack across the country in October.
The lawmakers adopted the resolution during plenary session on Tuesday after considering two separate motions moved by Senators Abiodun Olujimi (PDP- Ekiti) and Gershom Bassey (PDP – Cross River South).
The lawmakers noted that private and public assets destroyed by hoodlums in Lagos State were estimated to be in the range of over N1 trillion by the state governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
He expressed worries over the long list of asset destroyed including Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Secretariat , Palace of the Oba of Lagos; Lagos High Court, Igbosere; Oyingbo BRT terminus; Vehicle Inspection Office, Ojodu Berger; Lagos State Public Works Corporation, Ojodu Berger; Lagos City Hall and Circle Mall, Lekki; numerous luxury shops in Surulere, the Nation Newspaper, TVC and Shoprite Lekki including 27 BRT vehicles all estimated to cost $200,000 each and another 57 BRT vehicles estimated to cost $100,000 each, all totaling about N3.9 billion; and about 25 police stations.
Mr Bassey in his submission decried the looting of warehouses in Calabar and the attack on the residence of some serving and past federal lawmakers, WAEC office, among others.
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“Cross River State being a predominantly Civil Service State may not overcome the effects of the invasion since the destroyed state infrastructure were built from lean state resources over years,” Bassey told the House.
The Upper Chamber in its resolutions urged the the Federal Government to commit to assisting States in rebuilding it after the wanton destruction of lives and properties by giving 1 percent of Value Added Tax.
The Senate also asked the Federal Government to set up a visitation panel to the various states destroyed by hoodlums across Nigeria for evaluation.
They also directed the committees on National Security, Defence, and Police to investigate the attacks by the hoodlums and how to prevent a recurrence.
