Shehu Beji, A member of the House of Representatives, has raised the alarm over the migration of bandits towards the Federal Capital Territory.
Some Bandits had recently attacked Tungan Maje area of Abuja where they kidnapped people and demanded ransom.
Beji, at the plenary on Wednesday, had moved a motion titled, “Call for the Establishment of Military Base to Combat Banditry attacks in Shiroro/Rafi/Munya Local Government Areas of Niger State Spilling into Kafinkoro, Ishau and Adunu Wards under Bosso/Paikoro Federal Constituency.”
Beji, in the motion, decried that the “unjustifiable retention of the service chiefs may be the cause of the lingering problem, as their defensive strategies seem to be obsolete and must have outgrown further learning.”
According to him, the spate of insecurity has “reached its highest crescendo that if not urgently addressed, Nigeria may dangerously go the way of Rwanda, Somalia, etc.”
He noted that Shiroro/Rafi/Munya Federal Constituency is comprised of three Local Government Areas, two of which are geographically bound by Bosso/Paikoro Federal Constituency of Niger State.
He decried the recent recurrent attacks on Rafi and Shiroro Local Government Areas of Niger State where lives and property are being lost by the day, saying that the operational structure of the Nigerian military requires urgent reforms.
The lawmaker said, “A few days ago, the nation lost one of her military commanders and three other officers of the Nigerian Army at the battlefield. On 24 September 2020, a media outlet, Sahara Reporters, reported that troops of the Nigerian Army are furious at the authorities for not recognising other soldiers killed alongside Dahiru Bako, a Colonel and Commander of Sector 2, Operation Lafiya Dole, the team combating terrorism in the North-East region of the country.
“The House is disturbed that such utter disregard and disrespectful gesture meted out on Bereaved families of junior fallen heroes is demoralising the gallantry spirit of our soldiers at the battlefields. Despite all efforts to curb banditry activities in affected areas of Niger State, the situation had continued to escalate to the extent that our farmers have completely been severed from farming activities which are the mainstay of our economy.
“The House is also concerned that even the Federal Capital Territory, where national and international businesses are being conducted, is no longer safe as there have been reported cases of kidnappings/banditry within the FCT. The rate of killings across the nation, which is now spilling into the Federal Capital Territory, is breeding a global embarrassment depicting how less prepared again in terms of security.”
(C) Control TV 2020.