Insecurity: Mixed reactions trail Senate’s call to declare bandits as terrorists
…as Kaduna effects telecoms blackout, bans motorcycle activities
By Ariemu Ogaga & Uthman Salami
Security experts have expressed mixed reactions over the call made by some Senators in the Red Chamber to declare all bandits causing mayhem and chaos in the country as terrorists.
In a seperate interview with Nigerian NewsDirect, security experts, Managing Director of Beacon Consulting Ltd, Dr Kabir Adamu and Mr Patrick Agbambu have expressed mixed reactions over Senate call to designate bandits as terrorists.
Earlier on, the Senate had beckoned on the Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari to, as a matter of urgency, declare all bandits, across the country, as terrorists.
The Members of the Red Chambers made this charge during plenary yesterday.
In their effort to nip banditry activities in the country, the Federal lawmakers further charges the President to tag all those identified as leaders of the bandits wanted and track them wherever they are for arrest and prosecution.
This charge was led by the Senator representating Sokoto East district, Senator Gobir, and Eight other members through a motion moved by the former.
The Sokoto East Senator further lamented that his senatorial district has become a safe haven for bandits fleeing from the current onslaught against them in neighbouring state.
The Senator recalled the killing of 21 security personnel on Saturday in Dama and Gangara, during attacks that left a yet to be ascertained number of civilians either dead or kidnapped.
According to the lawmaker, the latest incident highlights the magnitude of the problem, a matter which he stressed requires the declaration of total war on banditry.
He added that it is sad the nation keeps losing such a number of trained officers at the hands of bandits, a trend which he asserts will jeopardise the security architecture of the country if not properly handled.
Dr Kabir on his part said proscribing bandits as terrorists will make Nigeria security forces roundly deal with the menace.
According to him, “The Terrorism Prevention Act as amended 2013 is clear about the acts that constitute terrorism. This includes kidnap of the type being done by the bandits. Therefore by that law is clear that their actions are terroristic.
“Declaring them terrorists means the country’s security forces will have no barriers in dealing with them using all the arsenal at their disposal.
“The challenge however is to distinguish between who is a bandit and who is not. The current disposition is to tag all Fulani as bandits. Already there are reports indicating the security forces in the past attacked Fulani settlements and used excessive force including killing and burning down their houses. Therefore if the government decides to tag bandits as terrorists it is absolutely important that it deploys all means to differentiate and isolate the bandits and deal with them as terorists.”
However, Mr Patrick on the contrary, described the development as pedestrian and likely not to yield needed result.
According to him, “I consider it as pedestrian. How do you declare a faceless group as a Terrorist group?. The name ‘bandits’ is a descriptive name. It is not like, organised or identifiable groups. It is like declaring ‘unknown gunmen’ as a Terrorist group.”
In his words, “The best that could be done is what President Buhari did by giving the Security Forces shot-at-sight order of anyone seen with AK-47 or other dangerous arms.”
Meanwhile, Kaduna State Government has declared a shut down of telecommunication services, starting on Thursday (today) in specific Local Government of the State in a bid to curb incessant bandits attack in the state.
The government through its Commisioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan said this was part of critical measures aimed at bringing an end to bandits’ activities in the state.
Aruwan said the decision was taken on Wednesday (yesterday) after an emergency meeting with relevant federal agencies who recommended the shutting down of telecom services ahead of the commencement of a military onslaught against bandits.
Aruwan added that decision to shutdown Telecom services in some areas of the state was part of other moves taken to address the current security situation in Kaduna State and neighbouring states in the North
According to Aruwan, “The relevant federal agencies have today informed the Kaduna State Government that the processes for telecoms shutdown in parts of the state have commenced.
“As part of the steps to address the current security situation in Kaduna State and neighbouring states in the North-West and North-Central, Kaduna State State Government has held several meetings with security agencies to adopt critical measures towards crushing bandits in identified hideouts.”
In addition to this move, Mr. Aruwan further announced the ban on all commercial and private motorcycles for a period of three months across the state with immediate effect.
He also added that work restrictions has been placed on the schedule for commercial tricycle operators from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm daily.
He said the measures “become effective from Thursday, 30th September 2021.”
In addition, Aruwan said all commercial tricycles are to remove curtains in their tricycles.
The state added further steps by ordering all commercial vehicles to be painted in yellow and black within the next 30 days, while vehicles used for hiring services are expected to be painted in yellow and black stripes.
Other security measures by the State include the ban on the sale of petrol in jerry cans or other containers in Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Chikun, Igabi, Kachia, Kagarko and Kajuru Local Government Areas.
The government however urged the people of the state to endure the strain, saying that “These difficult times demand that difficult decisions be made. The measures have been adopted purely in the interest of our collective safety and security and to aid our brave forces in their fight against these mindless criminals.
“Too many lives have been lost and too many families have been shattered. Small groups of wicked persons cannot continue to hold us to ransom and force us to live in perpetual fear,” Aruwan said.
Earlier on, Zamfara State had implemented the same security measures as the State government shutdown Telecoms services in order to end spate of Insecurity in the state.
