Mark said this in Abuja when he decorated newly promoted police officers attached to his office with their new ranks. The Senate President said that government would be compelled to deploy its might if the perpetrators continued to refuse negotiation.
“If the perpetrators of these violent crimes would not come to the negotiating table to dialogue with authorities in order to address whatever grievances they may have, government would be left with no option than to deploy its might to deal with the situation,” Mark warned.
He said government would no longer tolerate a situation where insurgents and terrorists continue to hold it and the citizens hostage.
“No matter how disgruntled or angry they may be, they cannot continue to kill our citizens and destroy properties at will as way of life.
“It is a high time wise counsel prevails among these insurgents to drop their arms and embrace peace.
“Nigeria is passing through very difficult times and challenges and certainly does not need these wars and destructions.
“We need to live and work together as free people. We need a country where all citizens have equal opportunities, where no one is oppressed or molested.”
He also expressed his sympathy to Gov. Gabriel Suswam of Benue whose convoy was attacked by gunmen at Tse -Kenyi village while inspecting some communities attacked by the hoodlums.
Mark said the situation called for vigilance on the part of every citizen.
He also called for support and cooperation for the security operatives to succeed in their onerous task of protecting lives and property.
The Police officers decorated with their new ranks of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) were Odufu Boniface , Ibrahim Omaga and Oni John while Ndamshe Nanzing was decorated as Police Inspector.\
In the same vein, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu has called for greater sub-regional synergy to end terrorism in West Africa.
Ekweremadu made the call during separate working visits to the President of the Republic of Cape Verde, Jorge Fonseca and the Prime minister, Hon. Jose Maria Neves in Praia, Cape Verde on Wednesday.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Uche Anichukwu, Ekweremadu said terrorism was a transnational crime that could only be overcomed through intensive transnational efforts and cooperation.
“We are here to share our vision for the enhancement of the powers of the ECOWAS Parliament and what the sub-region stands to benefit from it with the President and the Prime Minister.
“We also looked at other critical issues concerning the sub-region such as terrorism, piracy, human trafficking.
“We agreed on the need for the regional parliament and our respective national parliaments and governments to work harder on these concerns to achieve greater regional integration and prosperity.”
The deputy senate president reiterated the determination of the Third Legislature of the Community Parliament under his leadership to actualise the enhancement of the powers of the Community Parliament.
Ekweremadu, who doubles as the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, had also addressed the sub-regional workshop on the Enhancement of the Powers of the ECOWAS Parliament in the island nation.
Addressing his colleagues at the regional workshop earlier, he urged them not to be irrelevant but to increase their advocacy efforts at their national levels.
“History is not given, but made, for those who wait for history to make them, would never have pride of place in it.”
“We must recommit ourselves to the struggle, re-strategise and chart a fresh trajectory to the Promise Land.
“To dither is not in our character, and to surrender is not on the card. At this juncture, success is the only vision we see and the only language we understand”, Ekweremadu said. (NAN)
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