The House of Representatives has called for the immediate establishment of a permanent military base in the Madagali/Michika axis of Adamawa State, following renewed attacks by armed assailants that left several residents dead and many others abducted.
This followed a resolution passed during Thursday’s plenary, where lawmakers decried the persistent security breaches in the area and mandated a thorough investigation into the violence.
The House also resolved to investigate the persistent security breaches in the Northeast, particularly in the Madagali/Michika axis of Adamawa State.
‘To stem the tide of violence, the House urged the Chief of Defence Staff, the Inspector General of Police, and the Director General of the Department of State Services to urgently deploy a combined military and police task force to Madagali and establish a permanent Forward Operating Base to deter further attacks and restore peace in the area.
‘The House further called for the classification of Madagali/Michika as a security priority zone’, the resolution read.
This followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by the member representing Michika/Madagali Federal Constituency of Adamawa State, Mr Zakaria Nyampa, during Thursday’s plenary.
Nyampa lamented the worsening insecurity in Madagali/Michika, citing the latest attacks in Dar and Pambla communities where unknown assailants killed at least five persons and abducted an undisclosed number of residents, including women and children.
‘These repeated killings are a grim reminder of the vulnerability of my constituents who continue to suffer from violence and neglect.
‘What the people of Madagali and Michika need now is not just our sympathy, but real action, tangible protection, and a sense of justice’, he said.
The lawmaker noted that the affected areas had been consistently targeted due to the glaring absence of a permanent and robust security presence, leaving rural dwellers, mostly farmers, defenceless and displaced.
‘The continued insecurity is not only causing human tragedy but also disrupting agricultural livelihoods, worsening food insecurity, and deepening the humanitarian crisis in the region’, he warned.
He regretted the lack of prompt and effective responses from security agencies, adding that this emboldened the attackers, allowing the cycle of violence to persist unchecked.
Following the debate, the House observed a minute of silence in honour of the victims of the latest attacks in Dar and Pambla.
The House also called on the National Emergency Management Agency to provide urgent humanitarian support to displaced residents in the affected communities.
This includes temporary shelters, food, medical assistance, and psychological support for traumatised victims.
The House called on the Federal Government to initiate comprehensive recovery and rehabilitation programmes aimed at rebuilding trust and supporting victims.
It, thereafter, mandated its joint committees on National Security and Intelligence, Defence, and Police Affairs to investigate the recurring security breaches and submit its findings and recommendations within two weeks for further legislative action.
