Secessionists are like Terrorists, they can take Nigeria down path of destruction – Gbajabiamila

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has compared secessionists to Boko Haram insurgents who will take the country down the path of destruction if they are “given time and space”.

Gbajabiamila who spoke on the floor of the house on Wednesday while welcoming lawmakers from their annual break, said the green chamber will utilise legislative mechanisms to tackle insecurity which he says has become an overwhelming threat to the people.

“Insecurity remains an overwhelming threat to all our nation’s people and a hindrance that further delays the attainment of the critical development objectives necessary to put our country on the path to peaceful prosperity,” he said.

“Therefore, the ninth house of representatives will continue to take action as required to address statutory deficiencies that limit the ability of our national security apparatus to respond effectively to the myriad manifestations of insecurity in our country.”

“We must now add to these concerns an emerging threat that presents the same clear and present danger. In the South of Nigeria, East and West, miscreants and criminals masquerading as separationist activists have emerged to wreak havoc, take lives and commit economic sabotage against fellow Nigerians and against the state.

“These people, in their inclination for devastating violence against fellow citizens, their appetite for the destruction of private property, their disruption of academic activities, commerce, and industry, their propensity for defiling institutions of the state, society and community, their refusal to engage in debate, or to consider the possibility of dissenting opinions and alternative viewpoints, are no different from Boko Haram and ISWAP. Given space and time, they will take our nation down the same path of destruction.”