The Senate, on Wednesday, urged the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.), to deploy more security personnel to communities troubled by bandits especially in the South-West geopolitical zone.
This is in a bid to tackle the security challenges in the country including banditry, herdsmen killings, amongst others.
The Red Chamber said there was a need to avert a looming humanitarian crisis which is likely to occur as a result of the displacement of residents in Ogun State and other troubled states.
The Senate also called on the National Emergency Management Agency, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the Border Communities Development Agency to undertake an ‘on-the-spot’ assessment of the affected communities with a view to determining the extent of the problem and providing relief to the affected persons.
Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah (All Progressives Congress, Kebbi Central) in a motion noted with concern the rising humanitarian situation in Bena, Kebbi State, arising from the activities of bandits in neighbouring Zamfara State which shares a border with Kebbi State.
According to the lawmaker, “the internally displaced persons from about 17 villages in Zamfara sharing the border with Kebbi State have moved to Bena, wasagu, mage areas with no arrangements for an Internally Displaced Persons camp and are scattered all over, making it difficult to cater for their welfare.”
Coming under Order 42 and 52 of the Senate Standing Rules, Senator Tolu Odebiyi (APC, Ogun West), in a separate motion, recalled the recent spate of attacks by suspected herdsmen on communities in Yewa area of Ogun State.
The lawmaker noted that, “many of these attacks by suspected herdsmen on the area remain perennial, owing to the near absence of police and other security personnel in the affected communities.”
Senator Rochas Okorocha (APC, Imo West), therefore, urged Nigerians to unite against the perpetrators of criminality by refusing to associate the various criminal activities with any region in particular.
He said, “The happenings in the South-West, vis-à-vis issue of herdsmen has become a recurrent decimal, and literally what we discuss almost every week at this red chamber.
“Mr. Senate President, I’m a bit concerned that this issue is gradually creating a wall of division in our country. Hence, in the handling of this matter, we must be absolutely very careful.”
