Zamfara Killings: Senate urges FG to flush out bandits

The Senate on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to direct the Nigerian Air Force to use air surveillance to identify the location of suspected armed bandits involved in the Feb. 14 killings in Zamfara and flush them out.
The suspects are believed to be hiding within the sparse of a forest in the state.
The upper legislative chamber also urged the Federal Government to explore diplomatic avenues to prevail on Niger and Chad Republics to prevent criminals from using their territories to launch attack on Nigeria.
It equally urged the State Governments to upgrade, recruit and generously fund state and local vigilante teams with the aim of improving security in the affected areas.
These resolutions were sequel to a motion on: “Urgent Need to look into the Killings that took place in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara” sponsored by Senator Tijjani Kaura during plenary.
Kaura noted that cross border banditry had brought Nigeria’s frail security system to the lime light having triggered an orgy of violence in Zamfara which left 39 people dead in Zurmi LGA on Wednesday, February 14.
The lawmaker said in spite of the notice and warnings to the law enforcement agents on the impending attack by the State Government 24 hours before the attack, no precaution was taken to avert the unfortunate incident.
He raised concerns that the latest attacks had caused fears across the state, especially around rural communities who had similar experiences in the past and were helpless.
Kaura said: “These security breaches are on the increase in spite of the huge resources being expended by the Federal and Zamfara State Governments.
Contributing, Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan said there must be Executive-Legislative collaboration to ensure that the outcome of the recently held national security summit was realised.
“We need to be optimistic that this time around the implementation will be better.”
Also Senator Kabiru Marafa described the incident as very sad adding that politicians must differentiate politics from friendship.
Marafa, however, called for state of emergency which was rejected by the lawmakers.
Similarly, Senator Jibrin Barau said the matter was a “national calamity’’.
Barau said: “It is a big challenge to the country. We should forget our differences and political persuasions and come together as leaders so that we find solutions to this menace.”
On his part Senator Isa Misau said: “We are mixing security with politics”.
Misau added: “By the time we mix security with politics, we cannot achieve what we want to achieve.”
In his remarks, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu said any government that abandoned its responsibility of protecting lives of its citizens had failed.
Ekweremadu added: “It is not coincidence that the first right in section 4 is right to life. We must not be seen to be joking with the lives of our people.”