By Nathaniel Zaccheaus, Abuja
The Senate on Wednesday rejected a proposal by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu seeking to halt the monitoring of constituency projects by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), insisting the anti-graft agency has the legal mandate to track publicly funded projects.
Lawmakers also raised concerns over renewed insurgent attacks in Borno State, warning that the resurgence of violence signals a fresh security threat in the North-east.
The attempt to stop the ICPC from monitoring projects sparked a heated debate during plenary after Kalu argued that the commission was encroaching on the oversight responsibilities of the National Assembly’s committees.
According to him, legislative committees are statutorily empowered to supervise the execution of constituency projects by contractors.
However, the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, strongly opposed the proposal, maintaining that the anti-corruption agency was acting within its statutory responsibilities to promote transparency and accountability.
“Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, the ICPC has the mandate to track projects. Even as the Leader of the Senate, my projects are being tracked in my constituency,” Bamidele said.
“Many of our colleagues here know that their projects are also being monitored. There is nothing to worry about because these are projects meant for the benefit of our constituents,” he added.
Bamidele warned that any attempt to stop the commission from performing its duties would undermine transparency in the management of public funds.
He also faulted the motion on procedural grounds, arguing that it lacked proper seconding and failed to comply with provisions of the Senate Standing Orders governing the introduction of motions.
“To the extent that it was not properly seconded and the necessary consent was not sought before presentation, the motion cannot stand,” he said.
Earlier presiding over the session, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau supported continued monitoring of projects by the ICPC, stressing that contractors executing government-funded projects must be subjected to strict oversight.
When Senate President Godswill Akpabio later presided over the plenary, he ruled that the issue should be addressed administratively, effectively putting an end to the attempt to stop the commission’s project-tracking activities.
Meanwhile, the Senate expressed deep concern over renewed attacks by suspected Boko Haram fighters on military formations and communities in Borno State.
The lawmakers observed a minute of silence in honour of soldiers killed during a recent attack on a Nigerian Army base in Kukawa Local Government Area.
Moving the motion, Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno said the attack occurred in the early hours of March 9 when insurgents launched a coordinated assault on the military formation, engaging troops in a fierce gun battle that reportedly lasted about 24 hours.
The clash led to the death of Lieutenant Colonel Umar Farouk, described as a key officer who played a significant role in restoring civil authority in Kukawa after the town had earlier been overrun by insurgents linked to Boko Haram.
Monguno said the attackers approached the base from different directions, leading to casualties, destruction of military vehicles and the looting of weapons.
He warned that the incident signals a troubling resurgence of insurgent activities in the North-east despite ongoing counter-insurgency operations under Operation Hadin Kai.
Seconding the motion, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan described the renewed attacks as alarming and called for urgent measures to address the situation.
He disclosed that several communities across Borno State, including Baga and Konduga, had come under attack in recent days, resulting in casualties among soldiers and civilians.
“The scale and coordination of the attacks suggest a worrying resurgence of insurgency in the region,” Lawan warned.
“It is in our enlightened self-interest to support this motion and take decisive steps to nip this renewed insurgency in the bud.”
Following deliberations, the Senate urged the Nigerian Armed Forces to strengthen intelligence gathering, surveillance, and operational capabilities to end insecurity in the North-east and other parts of the country.
