Senate has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to proclaim bandits who have been killing people, destroying property, and kidnapping people across the country as terrorists and declare absolute war on them.

It also ordered President Buhari to ensure there was bombing of all places of bandits in order to demolish and eradicate them.

The Upper Chamber also demanded that the Federal Government declare all known bandit leaders wanted, track them down, and prosecute them, particularly those operating in the Sokoto East senatorial district.

It requested that the Federal Government direct the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and other relevant Federal Government agencies to provide all essential assistance to victims of banditry in Sokoto and other regions of the country as soon as possible.

The Senate conducted a minute of silence in honor of the dead soldiers and people who perished as a result of bandits’ nefarious deeds.

Resolutions of the Senate were sequel to a motion, titled ” Banditry in Sokoto State, particularly Sokoto East Senatorial District”, sponsored by Senator Ibrahim Gobir, All Progressives Congress, APC, Sokoto East and cosponsored by Senators Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, APC, Sokoto North; Ibrahim Danbaba, PDP, Sokoto South; Abdullahi Barkiya, APC, Katsina Central, and Mohammed Sani Musa, APC, Niger East.

Senators Kabiru Gaya (APC) of Kano South, Bala Ibn Na’allah (APC) of Kebbi South, Sabi Aliyu Abdullahi (APC) of Niger North, and Ya’u Sahabi (APC) of Zamfara North were among the others.

Senator Gobir, who was elected under Senate Standing Order 42/52, claimed that the ongoing crackdown in Zamfara State has turned Sokoto East senatorial area into a haven for bandits.

He claimed the situation had deteriorated, especially after bandits killed 21 security personnel at Dama and Gangara villages on September 25, including 15 soldiers, three mobile police officers, and three members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.

Gobir, who expressed concern that the loss of such a large number of trained security officers would further decrease the country’s security staff numerical strength, said the willful loss of security employees had threatened the country’s security personnel.

He expressed concern that, as a result of the ongoing military operations along the Zamfara axis, most of the bandits had migrated to Sokoto’s Sabon Birni and Isa Local Government Areas.

While the bandits were being hunted down in Zamfara State, the senator claimed that no tangible actions had been taken in Sokoto to deal with the aftermath.

Senator Gobir stated, “The Senate notes that, as a result of the present crackdown in Zamfara State, the Sokoto East senatorial area has suddenly become a haven for bandits.”

“It is also concerning that, as a result of the ongoing military operations along the Zamfara axis, the majority of the bandits have now migrated to Sabon Birni and Isa Local Governments.

“Concerned that, while the bandits were being hunted down in Zamfara State, no tangible actions were taken in Sokoto State, leaving it completely vulnerable to bandit activity.“

‘‘The current military attack against bandits is poorly coordinated because it is being carried out only in Zamfara State, rather than across all of the frontline states ravaged by banditry, like as Sokoto, Katsina, Niger, and Kaduna.

”In order to create effective and desirable results, the operation should be comprehensive rather than restrictive.”

Senator Uche Ekwunife, PDP, Anambra Central, in her speech, lamented the growth of banditry and other kinds of insecurity across the country, saying that governments must fulfill their main obligation of protecting lives and property.

She said it was past time for President Muhammadu Buhari and the executive branch of government to address the nation about the country’s growing insecurity.

In his remarks, Senate President Ahmad Lawan praised the Armed Forces’ efforts in the country’s long-term fight against instability.

While pushing for more military financing, Lawan tasked relevant National Assembly committees with ensuring that funds appropriated for the armed services were used wisely for the purposes for which they were authorized.

“Distinguished colleagues, I believe we will never tire of debating the subject of insecurity here, and we must applaud our Armed Forces and other security forces.

“They give their lives in trying to secure this country, and that is the ultimate sacrifice anybody could pay.  I believe that they are doing their best, but we also need to do our best as a government by giving them the kind of resources that they need.

“I believe we have done that in the supplementary budget.  As I pointed out earlier, we also need to improve the annual appropriation for them.

“If we could pass over N800 billion in the supplementary budget, I don’t see why we cannot improve the resources up to N1 trillion and then hold our security agencies accountable. And I believe we need to monitor the procurement processes when we give such kind of resources to our Armed Forces.

“The security-related committees, particularly the armed forces related committees – Defence, Army, Navy and Airforce Committees need to work very closely on the procurement processes by these services.

“We must ensure that funds appropriated are not put in the wrong areas, and ensure that this fight is taken to its logical conclusion.

In response, the Senate requested the President to designate bandits terrorists and fight a total war against them, including bombing all of their locations to annihilate and eliminate them.