The Senate on Thursday decried the gruesome killing of over 40 people by bandits in Sokoto State on Monday.
The condemnation of the killing followed the adoption of a motion on โGruesome killing of 40 people in Sokoto State by armed bandits.โ
The upper chamber resolved to urge the Federal Government to mandate the Air Force and the Police helicopter division to embark on surveillance of Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi State with the view of identifying locations and hideouts of the bandits and deal with them decisively;
It also urged the Inspector General of Police (lGP) through the commissioner of Police in the three states to set up a special squad to mop up the zone in order to get rid of the armed bandits.
It called for synergy between the Department of State Service, the Police and the armed forces with the view of sharing intelligence and strategies to embark upon in getting rid of the armed bandits;;
The motion was sponsored by Senators Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central) and Senator Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto North)
Aliero in his lead debate noted with sadness the gruesome and unprecedented killing of innocent and defenseless people in Sokoto by armed bandits on Monday morning at Dogonyero in Candi District in Raba Local government Area of Sokoto State.
He expressed concerned that โthese armed bandits are operating in Zamfara forest where they carry nefarious and barbaric killing of innocent people over a period of two years.โ
He said that the bandits moved with motorcycles that carry up to three people numbering about thirty motorcycles in all, meaning that the armed bandits were up to 90;
Aliero expressed worry that โthe armed bandits sent two people to the village to buy food for them and the villagers observed that the emissaries were armed and they were interrogated by the villagers and found to be armed bandits similar to the ones operating in Zamfara. The villagers apprehended and executed the two emissaries.โ
He further noted that โthe armed bandits sent advance notice to the villagers that they were coming to retaliate the killing of their people.โ
He said โThe Chairman of the local government and the village head alerted the law enforcement agencies on this notice of the bandits. Security was provided for a period of 5days after which they were withdrawn, immediately the security agencies were withdrawn, the armed bandits moved in and started killing indiscriminately using A1017 riffles. The situation now is that most of the villagers have left their homes out of fear and so many are still stranded in the bush, not to mention the injured ones still at the hospital and others rendered homeless.โ
Most of the senators who contributed to the motion asked the Federal Government to take steps to protect lives and property in the country.
