Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial district, Shehu Sani and 108 others have bemoaned the killing of a British aid worker, Faye Mooney and a Nigerian, Matthew Oguche at a resort in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
In his lead debate, Sani described the killing of the aid workers and the abduction of three others as gory, stating that that was ” one too many”, without concrete measure to tackle the menace.
He said, life in villages of Birnin Gwari in Kaduna South and its surroundings have become unbearable to the extent that bandits have written a warning letter to a member representing Birnin Gwari/Giwa in the House of Representatives.
“Distinguished colleagues, you will be astonished to hear that the kidnappers had the audacity to write and warn the member representing Birnin Gwari/Giwa in the House of Representatives, Hon. Hassan Adamu Shekara warning him of his activities, thereby, forcing him to evacuate his family from the area. ”
Reacting, Deputy President of the Senate, noted that the spate of kidnappings in Nigeria has become an embarrassment to the image of the country.
Narrating how a kidnap victim told a story of how he walked twelve hours in the forest only to arrive at a place known as kidnappers colony, Ekweremadu said, Security agencies need such information in order to tackle the menace.
He said government must do something to tell the world that they are seriously solving the challenge.
Senator Joshua Lidani representing Gombe South Senatorial district suggested that battalion of army should be deployed to areas known for kidnapping operations.
“Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, Kaduna South is notorious for abductions. Why can’t a whole battalion of soldiers move into the forest there to face them?”
Senator Ahmed Baba-Kaita representing Katsina North explained how Katsina State has been engrossed in banditry attacks, noting that the Lawmakers must marshall steps in addressing the menace.
The lawmaker expressed concern that the nation was losing her security personnel to banditry attacks.
“Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, what is worrisome to me, is that we are losing security agents on battlegrounds.”
Emmanuel Bwacha suggested that synergy between security agents and local vigilantes would work magic. He said villages around the country have local vigilantes that know everybody in their vicinity.
After contributions by other lawmakers, the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki remarked that government must be decisive and frontal in tackling insecurity in Nigeria.
He said, “it was not time to politicise security issues in the country,” adding that Nigerians must be united in the battle against insecurity.
