The Senate has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to act tougher on bandits by declaring them “terrorists”, and enemies of the Nigerian state.
The upper legislative chamber also called on Buhari to wage “total war” against the bandits and their activities in the country.
The Senate reached the resolution on Wednesday following a motion sponsored by Senator Gobir Ibrahim.
Gobir had in the motion entitled: Banditry in Sokoto State particularly Sokoto East Senatorial District, called attention to the growing activities of the criminal elements in his constituency.
Sokoto State is gradually turning into the new enclave of bandits in Nigeria’s Northwest after crackdown on them in neighbouring Zamfara State.
Presenting the motion, Gobri narrated how bandits on Saturday, September 25, attacked and killed 21 security personnel, 15 of them soldiers in Damage and Gangara villages.
The lawmaker expressed concern that while the crackdown is being intensified in Zamfara, Sokoto State has been completely left exposed to attacks from the fleeing bandits.
After an extensive deliberation on the motion and based on the prayers sought by the sponsor, the Senate called on President Buhari to act tougher on bandits, declare them as terrorists, and unleash total war against them including raining bombs on their hideout and to also arrest and prosecute their leaders.
The tough stance of the Senate comes against calls in some quarters in the north asking the Federal Government to enter into some form of amnesty negotiation with bandits that have steadily terrorized the country especially Northwest and North central states in the last six years.
