The House of Representatives on Tuesday tasked its Committee on National Security and Intelligence with probing the twin suicide bombings that devastated Gwoza, a community in Borno State.
According to The PUNCH, the bombings, which occurred on Saturday, June 29, 2024, claimed approximately 38 lives and left numerous others injured.
The House expressed its commitment to addressing insecurity through legislative measures, instructing the committee to report back within two weeks for further action.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance introduced by Ahmed Jaha, the representative for Damboa/Gwoza/Chibok Federal Constituency, emphasizing the necessity to denounce the twin suicide bombings in Gwoza and urging security agencies to enhance intelligence gathering and community engagement to prevent future incidents.
Jaha detailed the House that the suicide bombers had targeted a wedding, funeral, and a hospital in coordinated attacks in Gwoza, Borno State, last Saturday.
He highlighted that the terror attack resulted in “the loss of not less than 30 innocent lives and caused immeasurable grief and suffering to the affected community with many battling with their lives at the various hospitals.”
Jaha, a member of the All Progressives Congress, underscored the persistent threat posed by terrorism in the country and called for security agencies to boost their intelligence operations and engage more effectively with local communities to avert future attacks.
He stated, “Intelligence gathering is a critical tool in the fight against terrorism, and it is essential that our security forces pave the necessary resources and support to gather timely and actionable intelligence to prevent attacks before they occur.”
He further emphasized the importance of community engagement, saying, “Community engagement plays a vital role in building trust and cooperation between security forces and residents. By fostering strong relationships with communities, our security agencies can gather valuable information, identify potential threats, and disrupt terrorist activities before they escalate into violence.”
In support of the motion, Idris Wase, the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives representing Wase Federal Constituency in Plateau State, advocated for serious efforts against terrorism and urged the Federal Government to pursue the sponsors of all forms of criminality across the country.
