Senate President Ahmad Lawan has said the wave of insecurity in Nigeria was gradually going down.
He also lauded the Nigeria Armed Forces for their efforts at restoring security to parts of the country.
Lawan stated this Tuesday when he received a delegation from Adamawa state who paid him a visit.
The visit was in appreciation of the National Assembly for converting the Modibbo Adama University, Yola, to a conventional university that can run medical programmes alongside social and management sciences.
The delegation was led by Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed and the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Abdullahi Liman Tukur.
Welcoming the delegation, Senator Lawan said the conversion of the university was the outcome of a collaborative effort between the legislature and the executive arms of government.
He said the Ninth National Assembly would be judged fairly by Nigerians for its pro-people legislations in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic which slowed the country’s pace of development.
“I will take this opportunity to commend Mr. President for assenting to that bill. This is what we call cooperative governance. We work with the Executive to ensure that the Nigerian people benefit from democracy.
“We have set our eyes on our target of making Nigeria better and making Nigerians safer. What matters to us is what we are able to achieve at the end of the day.
“History will judge us very fairly. And without sounding immodest, I’ll like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Ninth National Assembly. The Ninth National Assembly has achieved so much between 2019 till date for the benefit of this country despite the pandemic, and the secret is unity and harmony.
“We have achieved unity amongst ourselves in the National Assembly environment between the Senate and the House; and of course, we have achieved harmony in work between the National Assembly and the Executive, and that’s the essence of governance, anyway.
“When we disagree, we will do so, but if we have no reason to disagree, we will not do that because we want to please anybody,” he said.
On security
Speaking on the nation’s security and economic challenges, Senate President Lawan said recent developments showed an improvement in efforts by the armed forces towards addressing the spate of insecurity in parts of the country.
“Those of us in position of leadership today are probably more challenged than any set of leaders. We need to pray but we also need to act, work hard and apply ourselves fully and work committed to ensure that we serve Nigerians.
“Nothing is impossible; this situation of insecurity gradually is being reversed. I am particularly happy with recent developments by our armed forces. They are doing better than they were doing before.
“I’m sure that the economy will also start to improve, and we will get out of recession that we entered last month.
“With the implementation of the capital budget 2020 up till the end of March, and of course, the start of the implementation of the 2021 budget, the economy will receive a boost,” he added.
PDP faults ‘claim’
Faulting the position, however, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the Senate President was only being economical with the truth.
In a telephone chat with Blueprint, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan described Lawan’s statement as “wishful thinking.”
Ologbondiyan said: “The Senate President, Dr Ahmed Lawan is being economical with the truth because that is not the reality on the ground. It is wishful thinking.
“He wished that there is an improvement, the situation is better and that the military is doing better. Those are his wishes, but unfortunately, that is not the practical reality on the ground.”
When asked whether his party was impressed with the reported onslaught against the insurgents and bandits in the last two weeks, Ologbondiyan said: “In the last two weeks, there was banditry across the federation, they have been kidnapping across the federation and it was also reported that a military formation was attacked, so what improvement are we talking about? What Senate President Lawan said is not the reality on ground.”
Kaduna
Meanwhile, troops of Operation Thunder Strike Monday night neutralised two bandits along the Sabon Iche – Kagarko Road, Kagarko local government area of Kaduna state.
A statement by Kaduna state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs Samuel Aruwan Tuesday said the bandits were ambushed by the troops as they approached the road to begin operation against motorists.
“According to the operational feedback to the Kaduna state government, the troops laid an ambush along the route following credible intelligence on the bandits’ movement in the area.
“While attempting to invade the road for an operation, the bandits entered the killing zone and the troops opened fire. The bandits returned fire as they beat a hasty retreat.
“After the fire fight, the dead bodies of two bandits were retrieved by the troops, with the rest suspected to have escaped with gunshot wounds. The troops suffered no casualties
“Confirmation from local sources revealed that the bandits were indeed part of the notorious group terrorizing the area.
“While expressing his elation at the report, Governor Nasir el-Rufai praised the troops’ gallantry and congratulated them for a successful expedition. Aggressive patrols will continue in the general area,” he said.
Aruwan also said “communities around the area are advised to report individuals seeking medical attention for suspicious injuries. Such reports can be forwarded via the Kaduna state security operations room on the phone lines:
09034000060, 08170189999 and via email: [email protected]
“Citizens are to note that any locals found harbouring or providing medical aid to bandits with bullet wounds will be charged as bandits.”
Niger
Also, the police in Niger state have killed one and arrested 9 kidnappers in the state. The state’s police public relations officer (PPRO), ASP Abiodun Wasiu stated this Tuesday in a statement in Minna.
He said four of the suspected kidnapers were arrested in Gwada- Shiroro road, three others apprehended in Ibbi-New Bussa road while two were nabbed in Kiffin Koro area of the state.
The PPRO said another armed bandit was however shot dead while attempting to escape arrest
He said, “On 13/01/2021 at about 1700hrs, a team of Police operatives/vigilante attached to Bangi division while on routine patrol along Bangi/Wamba road arrested two suspects; one Haruna SNU ‘m’ and Maryam Sani age 16yrs ‘f’ both of Magami village via Gussau Zamfara State with one unregistered Bajaj m/cycle, and two locally fabricated revolver rifles. During interrogation, the said Haruna attempted to escape and took to his heels; as a result, he was gunned down by the Police. The corpse was later deposited at general hospital Bangi, Mariga LGA”.
The statement listed the suspects arrested along Gwada – Shiroro road to include Abdulkareem Moh’d, Nura Ibrahim, Jamilu Moh’d and Hauwa Mohammed.
He said both Abdulkareem and Nura were arrested with a sum of one million, seven hundred thousand naira in their possession.
“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to be members of armed bandits terrorizing Kussasu/Galadima kogo area of Shiroro LGA and that the money is a proceeds from kidnapping ransom and sale of rustled cattle which they were sent to transfer the money to one Ishaku and Adamu both ‘m’ of Kagarko, Kaduna”.
He described Nura Ibrahim and Jamilu Mohammed as motorcyclists who specialised in transporting the hoodlums from one point to another, while Hauwa Mohammed linked the motorcyclists with the hoodlums for transportation purpose.
The police image maker also said the trio of Usman Shehu, Bello Mahammed and Ibrahim Shuaibu all of Kebbi state origin, were arrested in New Bussa area of Niger state.
“The suspects were searched and about one million, seven hundred thousand naira were found in their possession.”
During interrogation, the statement said the suspects confessed that the money was the proceeds shared from ransom of about three victims kidnapped from Nasko and Mashegu, adding that cases were under investigation.
Zamfara
But the bandits had an upper hand in Zamfara state where they launched fresh attack and killed 15 people in two different villages of Dutsin Gari and Rayau under Maru local government area of the state.
Resident of the area who pleaded anonymity told Blueprint via the telephone that the bandits who were on motorcycles, besieged the two villages at around 12:00 am (Tuesday) during which their attempt to kidnap some residents were foiled by the villagers.
“Our communities ganged up and exchanged fire with the bandits, who lasted for over three hours,” said the source.
Upon realising the communities were having an upper hand; the bandits increased their shooting rate and killed 13 people in Dutsin Gari and 2 people in Rayau village.
“As I am talking to you now, the bandits have returned to our two villages early this morning setting some of our local silos on fire, but only to find out that many people had fled to Kanoma town for safety,” he said.
The residents called on both the state and federal governments for further deployment of security personnel in the areas.
Few weeks back, bandits stormed Dutsin Gari during Juma’at(Friday ) service and abducted 40 worshippers, including the Imam.
Efforts by Blueprint to get the spokesperson of the state police command, SP Mohammed Shehu were unsuccessful as he couldn’t pick calls.
