The Senate, on Tuesday, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to extend military operations against banditry to Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger and Sokoto States.
It also commended Buhari for his recent directive to launch a military offensive against bandits in Katsina State.
This development followed a motion sponsored by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi of Niger State.
In his debate, the lawmaker recalled that the Senate had last week Tuesday, May 12, 2020, considered two separate motions on the need for the federal government to immediately address the growing spate of banditry in Niger and Katsina States respectively.
He said, “the upper chamber was aware through a Presidential Spokesman that President Muhammadu Buhari has authorized the commencement of a major military operation to sweep bandits and kidnappers out of Katsina State as major proactive measures by Special Forces to replace the reactive strikes against the camps of these bandits and criminals.
“The criminalities by these armed bandits and kidnappers are carried out mostly under the cover of the contagious forests reserves and areas stretching from Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna and the Niger States with pockets of safe havens in Kebbi State and Asokoro in the FCT, Abuja.
He also affirmed concerns, saying, “a major offensive in Katsina State alone is likely to make the armed bandits and kidnappers seek a safer haven in Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger states which hosts the Zurmi and Kamuku forests among others, and will further compound the plight of hapless and poor communities along these forest corridors.
“It was the earlier massive operations in Zamfara and Kaduna states that led the armed bandits to seek safe haven elsewhere, moving into Katsina and Niger States respectively, and some others pushing their lick to some parts of Asokoro and the Kebbi States”.
However, the upper chamber in its resolutions urged Buhari to expand the scope of the operations to include Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger, Sokoto States, and any other surrounding areas or states that the armed bandits may want to seek safe haven following the massive operation.
Thank you for taking your time in reading through our Journal Today. We wish to always provide you with qualitative Stories as far as GOOD-JOURNALISM is CONCERN. But good journalism costs a lot of money and only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, accountability democracy and a transparent government.
For continued free access to the best investigative journalism, we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble profession .
