Senator Gobir Speaks On Banditry Attacks In Sokoto State

The Senator representing Sokoto East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Ibrahim Gobir, on Tuesday, noted that the people of his constituency are in need Nigerians soldiers to protect them against armed bandits.

Senator Gobir further noted that the Nigerian Army and other security operatives have abandoned the constituency, a situation that has forced over 5,000 people to relocate to the Niger Republic.

The Senate called on President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the force to fight against banditry from Katsina and Zamfara to Sokoto and Niger States.

Gobir revealed this while seconding and contributing to a motion on “urgent military action against banditry in Niger State”, insisting the Sokoto incidences are worse than any other parts of the country.

He added that in the last three months, banditry attacks has led to the death of 300 people in Sokoto East Senatorial District, while some have been kidnapped.

“The situation in Sokoto East as far as armed banditry is concerned, is pathetic and tragic because it is only Nigerien Army that had been coming to their rescue while the Nigerian Army looks the other way.”

“In fact, based on very reliable and verifiable information from the area, many at times, that the people of the affected areas called on Nigerian Army for help and protection against the bandits, no response.”

“But graciously, the Nigerien Army has been assisting in wading off the bandits, the very reason why not less than 5,000 people in the affected areas have migrated to the Niger Republic for safety,” he said.

He noted that hundreds of cows and other animals have been rusted by the bandits the worth of which is about N2.5billion.

“Fallout of this is grinding poverty ravaging the affected people in the form of serious hunger since their cows and other animals are on a daily basis being stolen.”

“The situation is so bad that we only get help from the Niger Republic and not from Nigeria at all, be it from the Military or the Police.”

“The affected people cannot perpetually be at the mercy of Nigerien Soldiers and still expected to proudly see themselves as Nigerians.”

“Very urgent drastic action is required from President Buhari through the military in form of expansion of anti-banditry operation currently being carried out in Zamfara and Katsina State to Sokoto State,” he said.

Senator Sabi Abdullahi had in the motion anchored on orders 42 and 52 of the Senate standing rules, lamented the daily activities of armed bandits in Niger State, saying that such requires urgent intervention from President Muhammadu Buhari.

In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan said security challenges are enormous but surmountable.

“Nigeria is definitely up to the task and Mr President will deploy the military to the areas for restoration of sanity as gradually being witnessed in Zamfara and Katsina States,” he said.