The Senate Thursday summoned acting inspector general of police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, to appear before it next week over rising wave of kidnap in the country, particularly in the North.
The summon came as name of Senator Joshua Dariye (APC Plateau Central), currently serving 14-year jail term in Kuje prison for money laundering offences, was listed among the 108 senators who co-sponsored the motion that led to the invitation of the police boss.
Though the motion sponsored by Senator Shehu Sani (PRP Kaduna Central) centred on senseless killing of a Briton and the abduction of three others in a Holiday Resort in Kaduna state by armed bandits, senators during debate on the motion, widened its scope culminating into summoning the IGP.
IGP’s invitation by the Senate came as an additional prayer to the other eight prayers adopted by the Senate from the motion.
Specifically, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who gave the additional prayer said since the acting inspector general of police is the newest of all the service chiefs and police being the leading outfit on security matters, there is the need for the Senate to invite him in plenary for briefing on how the police are tackling the worsening state of insecurity in the land.
“Mr President, going by the seriousness of the problem at hand and having interacted with other service chiefs, there is need for the Senate to invite the acting inspector general of police in plenary next week for briefing on what the police are doing in tackling the rising wave of kidnapping and armed banditry in the land,” he said.
The additional prayer seconded by Senator Kabiru Marafa (APC Zamfara Central) was accordingly put to voice votes by Senate President Bukola Saraki and unanimously adopted by the Senate.
Other resolutions taken by the Senate on the motion were that the security authorities should intensify their searchlights for the perpetrators of the killing and abduction at the Holiday Resort in Kajuru, Kaduna state.
That government should set up inter-agency task force to tackle cases of banditry and kidnapping in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Niger states .
That the use of drones and interceptors should be immediately deployed by security agencies in tracking kidnappers asking for ransom.
That security agencies should give special security cover to foreign workers and tourists in the country.
In his lead debate on the motion, Senator Sani said the unfortunate event of 19th April, 2019 where gun men raided a resort called Kajuru Resort in Kajuru local government area of Kaduna state and killed a Briton, Ms. Faye Mooney and a Nigerian, Mr. Mathew Oguche with abduction of three others, had put more fears into Nigerians.
Mooney, he said, was a humanitarian worker with an NGO, Mercy Corp, who had worked in war torn countries like Iraq and Kosovo helping the needy, the vulnerable and internally displaced persons.
He further said the recurrence of this banditry where foreigners and tourists were affected, may put Nigeria’s diplomatic relationship on the line thereby raising red flag to other tourists who may wish to visit Nigeria.
The northern part of Nigeria, he stated, had become a theatre of killings and kidnappings, especially states like Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna and Niger. Kajuru, in Kaduna state is notorious for killings and kidnappings.
He cited the death of Agom Adara, Dr Maiwada Raphael Galadima, late last year, who was killed by kidnappers after collecting ransom.
He said: “It is pathetic to note that this area has become hostile to both visitors and the inhabitants who have resorted to internally displaced person’s camps. Some elders of this area are right now cooling off in various prisons in Kaduna state. In Birnin Gwari, life has become unbearable for the people because over 40 villages came under attack recently and in some instances with kidnappers sending notices before carrying out their attack.
“These people have killed thousands including children, raped women and have gone further to stop the villagers from going to farm;
“Worthy of concern also is the spate of killings and kidnappings that has found base in Zamfara and Niger states. In Munya local government of Niger state, over 20 housewives were kidnapped and areas such as Kushaka, Kurebe, Pandogari, Gidigori, Kusherki, Koregi, and Alawa, Kwaki, Bataro, Chikuba, Shafa, Kauri, Zazzaga in Rafi local government are under serious siege by the kidnappers. Other areas under siege include Kakangi, Gayam, Dan Ganji, Maganda, Dawari and Kazage.
“Distinguished colleagues, you will be astonished to hear that the kidnappers had the audacity to write and warn the member representing Birnin Gwari/Giwa in the House of Representatives, Hon. Hassan Adamu Shekara, warning him of his activities thereby forcing him to evacuate his family from the area.
“Distinguished colleagues, as I present this motion, negotiation is ongoing to pay ransom for the abductees of the Kujuru incident. The abductors had earlier demanded for N60, 000, 000 as ransom.”
All the senators who contributed to the debate on the motion from Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Senators Marafa, Emmanuel Bwacha , Jibrin Barau among others, lamented the rising wave of kidnapping and armed banditry in the country.
They said if the trend was not checked by relevant authorities, it may lead to problem of famine in the North and spread to other parts of the country.
In his remarks, Senate President Saraki said the summoning of the acting IGP was very necessary in view of the rising wave of insecurity in the land.
” Inviting the Acting IGP in plenary next week for way out on the worsening security situation in the land is very necessary since on our part here, Bills on Police Reforms and Trust Fund have been passed and waiting for concurrence in the House of Representatives,” he said .
Yari on bandits
Meanwhile, Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara state Thursday said there were over 10,000 armed bandits operating in the state with sophisticated weapons to carry out their operations.
Yari said this when he hosted a two-day federal and state security administrators (FSSAM) meeting in Gusau.
While saying over 4,000 lives had been wasted by the bandits, the governor stated that over 9,000 people were so far injured while thousands of houses and farmlands were equally destroyed since the armed bandits started their dastardly activities in the state.
Represented by Secretary to the State Government, Abdullahi Shinkafi, the governor said statistics available to him showed that over 8,000 women had been turned to widows and 16,000 orphans as a result of the criminal activities in the state.
He said: “We are being surrounded by thick forests in the state which the armed bandits and notorious kidnappers use as their hideouts.”
Corroborating the federal government’s position, Yari said there were highly placed individuals backing the hoodlums.
He told security operatives to fish out perpetrators of all the heinous crimes.
“All these bloodthirsty young men have since destroyed their consciences and are living without conscience,” the governor said.
IGP inaugurates zonal security forum
In a related development, IGP Adamu has inaugurated zonal security stakeholders forum in zone 11 to further strengthen community policing.
Speaking at the Police Zonal Command, Osogbo, Adamu, who was represented by Deputy Inspector General of Police Taiwo Lakanu, said the forum was designed to galvanise the people of Ondo, Osun and Oyo states towards identifying and partnering to address peculiar security challenges in the three states in Zone XI Police Command.
“I am particularly glad that we are now more conscious of the imperative of collaboration, and the indispensability of a common front to fight our common enemies who make life miserable by their nefarious activities.
“Indeed, in our resolve to integrate community policing into our law enforcement functions, I have initiated actions towards inaugurating a Nigeria Police Community Policing Implementation Standing Committee to drive the process and in the coming days, the country will witness concrete actions directed at evolving a community-oriented police for the nation in line with the vision of Mr. President.
“Additionally, I have commenced the process of addressing the root factors that engender conflict and distrust between the citizens and the Police, particularly, the issues touching on misuse of firearms and sundry abuses of police powers.
“We are in the process of migrating from total dependence on lethal weaponry as first line of police operations towards acquiring and deploying less lethal weaponry such as Taser or Stun Guns.
“Under the new policy, personnel on low-risk policing duties like routine patrols, arrest duties, and civil disorder management will be armed with Taser Guns or Stun Guns as a strategic approach towards reducing incidents of fatalities associated with misapplication of lethal weapons by the police when faced with low level threats.”
In his speech, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone X1, AIG Adeleye Oyebade, said the zone had done enough to wipe off criminals in states under its watch.
“While it cannot be denied that the Nigeria Police is doing its best to protect Nigerians and defend our democracy, the point must be made that there are still challenges.
“Challenges such as kidnapping, armed robbery, burglary, cattle rustling, insurgency and other crimes and criminality still occur in some parts of the country. The zone is obviously one of the most peaceful in the country.
“The relative peace in the three states under the zone would not be achieved but for the support of Mr President, the three state governors, the Inspector-General of Police and his management team, the good people of the zone as well as the dedication and commitment of officers and men in the three states.
“I am happy to inform you that we have been able to put criminals at bay in the zone. We have also arrested some armed robbery suspects; kidnap suspects, suspected ritualists, burglars, recovered cache of arms and ammunition, stolen vehicles, motorcycles, and other valuable property across the zone since the launch of the ‘Operation Puff Adder’. While some of the cases are still under investigation, others have been charged to courts.
“These modest achievements notwithstanding, there is still room for improvement. But there are obvious challenges militating against effective policing especially in the zone. These challenges, though not insurmountable, include some logistic problems, communication problem and other infrastructural deficiencies.”
