The Senate President, Sen. David Mark, has urged the Head of the Chinese Parliament, Mr Zhang Dejiang, to initiate laws to ensure the documentation of buyers and sellers of military hardware and uniforms from China.
Mark made the appeal in Beijing on Monday at an interactive meeting with Zhang at the Great Hall of the People.
The Senate president said that proper documentation would go a long way to curb the activities of Boko Haram and insurgency as the identity of buyers could be easily traced.
He further said that because of Nigeria’s current challenges, every interface between the Nigerian and Chinese parliaments should be based on military training and strategy, technology transfer, poverty reduction and job creation.
“We also ask that China should assist in our fight against terrorism and buyers and sellers of military uniforms as well as hardware from your country should be properly documented.
“This will enable us trace the sources of military uniforms and hardware available to these terrorists,” Mark said.
He assured the Chinese Parliament that Nigeria was doing everything possible to rescue some 230 girls abducted by the terrorists.
Mark expressed appreciation for the assistance promised and made available by the international community, including China, and asked for more assistance in the area of intelligence gathering.
“We believe that the terrorists and insurgents in our country have connections with other terrorists and possibly with some international terrorists groups.
“We also believe that China with her experience in strategies and tactics can help in intelligence gathering to enable us halt the murderous acts of the Boko Haram,” he said.
In his response, Zhang who is the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People’s Congress (NPC), described terrorism as a common enemy.
Zhang said that China was firmly behind Nigeria and that China was also a victim of terrorism.
He said that China had been following the story of the abduction of the girls and would help in whatever way possible and prayed for the safe return of the girls.
“We condemn the abduction of these girls in the strongest terms, China will also give active support in ensuring that the girls are brought back home.”
The Senate president was earlier taken on a guided tour round the building called the great hall of the people where the Chinese parliament holds its sitting.
(NAN)
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