Declare All Known Terrorist Leaders Wanted, Senate Tells Buhari

The Nigerian Senate has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately declare all known terrorist leaders in the country wanted.

Naija News reports that the Red Chamber made the submission on Wednesday following a motion moved by Senator Bala Ibn Nallah, over the activities of bandits in Kebbi State.

Presenting the motion, the lawmaker noted with concern that bandits are moving in hundreds from village to village, house to house in search of cattle to rustle and people to abduct.

Nallah said the bandits have been reportedly laying siege around Yar-kuka, Morai, Dankade to Wadako and recently in Bena where 20 people were abducted.

He said that if urgent steps were not taken, the peace-loving communities might be forced to resort to self-defense by acquiring arms and ammunition.

Contributing to the motion, Senator Adamu Aliero said that the acquisition of 12 Super Tucano jets by the federal government has not helped flush out the bandits from their hideous.

He, however, urged security forces to intensify efforts to stop banditry in the state.

Also, Sen. Sani Musa said that bandits were causing havoc in communities not only in Kebbi but in surrounding states like Niger.

In his remarks, President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan said the Senate would continue to call for the protection of lives and properties of Nigerians.

He said: “Let us never be discouraged because sometimes we feel why we are doing this when nothing is happening. There is a limit to what we can do, but we must do what we are supposed to do well.

“We can only do oversight to put pressure, but we can’t execute. We can’t command anyone to go anywhere, but what we do here is very significant.

“We should continue to debate it and follow on with some actions. We have approved significant resources funds recently in both the Supplementary Budget of 2021 and the Appropriation Act of 2022 for armed forces and other security agencies.

“The time has come for all security and defense-related committees to have an oversight on the releases of funds to these agencies.”

The upper chamber called on President Buhari to direct massive military and other security agencies deployed to the areas to conduct a rigorous operation to bring to end banditry and other crimes in the affected areas.