Senate tasks FG on policy to check insecurity

The Senate has called on the Federal Government to come up with a policy on the protection of its citizens, especially those in rural areas.

The upper chamber also called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to immediately send relief materials to villages in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara where lives were lost in recent attacks.

The calls were sequel to a motion on “Urgent Need to look into the Killings and Attacks that took place in Shinkafi LGA of Zamfara” sponsored by Sen. Tijjani Kaura (APC-Zamfara) at plenary on Wednesday.

He said the attack on Friday left 23 people dead in Mallamawa and Tungar Kahau villages, while property were torched and plundered.

“Similarly, four villages, namely, Maikamarimi, Gidan Anna, Mallamawa and Tungar Kahau were burnt to ashes including all their farm produce worth about N385, 000, 000.’’

Kaura said that the State Government had over the years put in place a lot of measures to bring an end to the menace but that the attacks had resurfaced.

“The military operation ‘Harbin Kunama’ that was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari to flush out the bandits is still in place and such attacks are happening unabated.

“These security breaches are on the increase in spite of the huge resources being expended by the Federal and Zamfara State Governments,” he said.

The lawmaker called for collaborative effort between Federal and State Governments to come up with a definite policy on protecting its citizens, especially those living in rural areas.

Contributing, the Deputy President of the Senate, Mr Ike Ekweremadu, called for the establishment of state police to curb insecurity in the country.

“Indigenes of the state employed as state police will know the terrain where bandits are hiding,” he said.

But, Sen. Dino Melye (APC-Kogi) said establishment of state police would be counter-productive since they would show much loyalty to the governors who would use them against political opponents.

On his part, Sen. Jonah Jang (PDP-Plateau) said: “we are not serious in this country on the matters of insecurity.

“Any person arrested should be prosecuted irrespective of his political godfather.

“Plateau State had been in the forefront of attacks by Boko Haram. It is beyond what we think.

“For whatever reason, some people are financing and backing Boko Haram, but only God knows.”

He advocated for state police but called for a law that would create it.
Also speaking, Sen. Kabiru Gaya (APC-Kano) called for a review of the Constitution to include roles for traditional rulers to give them opportunity to bring peace to their domains.

In his remarks, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said that there was definitely a collapse of security infrastructure in the country.

He decried the level of impunity where people illegally carried arms all over the place.

Saraki said that an ad hoc committee would be constituted to deal with the matter.