The Senate has on Thursday endorsed the proposal of President GoodLuck Jonathan towards the extension of the state of Emergency enforced on Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states since May this year.

Jonathan had through a letter to Senate President David Mark on Wednesday requested the approval of the Senate for the extension of the emergency rule by additional six months because members of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, were still causing havoc in the affected states.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the senators’ one-hour closed door session where the decision to approve the extension was reached, explained that the approval of the President’s request was unanimous.

He expressed the hope that the crisis in the affected states would be resolved before the end of the six months extension.

Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako had on Wednesday opposed the extension of the emergency rule in his state, saying the situation in the state did not warrant it.

Nyako said the extension of emergency rule in his state was politically-motivated.

Senate leader, Senator Victor Ndoma – Egba, who moved the motion for the extension, recalled that the Senate passed a resolution on May 21, 2013, backing the declaration of emergency rule in the affected states, to curb insurgency and restore peace in the areas.

Ndoma – Egba noted however that though “commendable progress had been recorded in the three affected states, more time is required to restore full and lasting peace to the areas.”