Senate seeks new security design to end killings

The Senate, yesterday, lamented what it described as the total failure of the country’s security architecture.

It noted that the prevailing unhealthy security situation in parts of the country is responsible for the wanton destruction of lives and property.

The lawmakers after a lengthy debate of the worsening security situation in the country, resolved to set up an ad-hoc committee to comprehensively review the security infrastructure in the country.

Some of the contributors spoke about the need to create state police to tackle internal security and maintain law and order in the country.

They agreed that urgent measures should be taken by the government to halt the seeming drift to anarchy.

The consideration of a motion entitled “Urgent need to look into killings and arson that took place in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State” sparked what could be called state of the nation debate.

Senator Tijjani Yahaya Kaura (Zamfara North) who sponsored the motion noted that an unfortunate attack in Zamfara State left 23 people dead in Mallamawa and Tungar kahau villages.

He added: “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.

“Zamfara State is surrounded by two major forests of Sugugu and Rugu. Sugugu Forest stretches through Anka, Bakura, Kaura Namoda, Maradun, Maru & Shinkafi L.G.A, while Rugu forest runs through Zurmi, Bimin Magaji & Tsafe LGAs and these forests provide adequate cover for the bandits, making Zamfara State more vulnerable to such attacks than any other State in Northern Nigeria.”

He expressed concern that the military operation Harbin Kunama that was lunched by President Muhammadu Buhari to flush out the bandits is still in force while the attacks continued.

More than 15 senators including Ike Ekweremadu, Godswill Akpabio, Dino Melaye, George Akume, Joshua Lidani, Danjuma Goje, Magnus Abe, Kabiru Marafa, Kabiru Gaya, Abdullahi Adamu, Mao Ohuabunwa, Samuel Anyanwu, contributed to the debate.

After the debate, Senate President Bukola Saraki deferred the constitution of the ad-hoc committee to today.

It was learnt that naming members of committee was deferred to enable the Senate leadership to consult widely and to formulate the terms of reference for the committee.

Also yesterday, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a military crackdown on bandits operating in rural communities in Zamfara State.

He approved the request by Minister of Defence Brig-Gen. Mansur Dan Ali (rtd) for the stationing of a full battalion of Special Forces in Zamfara State, and the operationalisation of the newly-established 8 Division of the Nigerian Army in Sokoto in the new Order of Battle (OBAT).

According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, the President also approved the movement of the 1 Brigade of the Nigerian Army from Sokoto to Gusau upon the take-off of the 8 Division.

To tackle the desperate actions of Boko Haram terrorists in the North-east, through the use of mostly female, underage girls as suicide bombers, President Buhari has approved the setting up of an intelligence fusion centre in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, for the purpose of gathering and sharing intelligence among the security agencies in the country.

“This phase of the war will be intelligence-driven and the new centre is expected to intensify the harvesting and sharing of intelligence so as to bring to an early closure, the desperate last-minute activities of the terrorists.” it stated