Following last weekend’s killing of scores of students of Government Secondary School, Mamudo in Potiskum, Yobe State and the general complaints about the absence of mobile telephone services which could have helped security agents get prompt information on attacks by gunmen, the House of Representatives has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to order the restoration of GSM services in the state.
The House in its resolution yesterday, said the restoration of mobile phone services which was switched off following the declaration of a state of emergency in May, would enable the circulation of useful security information and encourage community participation in the fight against terrorism.
Adopting a motion on the matter moved by Rep Ali Yakubu (PDP, Yobe), the House commended the security agents for their efforts so far and urged them to intensify their surveillance and monitoring activities to bring an end to the senseless killings and its perpetrators to book.
Rep Yakubu had informed the House “that the gruesome killings of these innocent school children between the ages of 12 and 15 years were preceded by similar incessant killings in Damaturu and Maiduguri respectively.”
He said, “The attacks were carried out at night during the imposed curfew between the hours of 6pm and 6am, rendering the victims helpless in the hands of these perpetrators.”
“Following the turning off of the GSM services in the states of the emergency rule, residents of these areas were constrained to report suspicious and useful information to the security services. This inhuman and barbaric treatment on innocent school children and prospective leaders of this great country is capable of destroying the future of a generation of people,” he added.
The House commiserated with the parents and families of the deceased students while a minute silence was observed for their repose.
