Senate commends Buhari over military action against bandits in Katsina

.Wants operations extended to Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger, Sokoto

President Muhammadu Buhari has been commended by the Senate for the military offensive against bandits in Katsina state.

The commendation came against the backdrop of a motion considered on Tuesday, on the need to integrate and extend the military offensive to adjoining Niger, Zamfara, Kaduna, Kebbi and Sokoto states.

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The motion was sponsored by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC /Niger North).

The senator in his motion recalled that the Senate had on May 12, considered two separate motions on the need for the federal government to address the growing spate of banditry in Niger and Kataina states, respectively.

Senator Sabi Abdullahi said that the Senate is aware that President Buhari has authorized the commencement of a major military operation to sweep bandits and kidnappers out of Katsina state.

He stated that the criminalities by these armed bandits and kidnappers is carried out mostly under the cover of the contagious forest reserves and areas stretching from Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger states with pockets of safe havens in Kebbi and Sokoto states.

The senator expressed concerns that “a major offensive in Katsina state alone is likely to make the armed bandits and kidnappers seek safer haven in Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger states which hosts the Zurmi and Kamuku forests among others, further compounding the plight of hapless and poor communities along these forest corridors.

“it was the earlier massive operations in Zamfara and Kaduna states that led the armed bandits to seek safe haven elsewhere, thus moving into Katsina and Niger states respectively, and some others pushing into parts of Sokoto and Kebbi states.”

The Senate in its resolutions, accordingly appealed to President Buhari to expand the scope of the operations to include Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger and Sokoto states and any other surrounding states that the armed bandits may seek safe haven.

The Senate also called on military formations and the police to increase their surveillance operations to track the movements of the armed bandits to prevent them accessing any safe haven.