Attempts to force a state of emergency in Zamfara State over the unabating killings in the state were yesterday aborted in the Senate.
The Senator representing Zamfara Central, Kabiru Marafa, prayed the upper chamber to resolve to ask President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency in the state as part of the measures to deal decisively with those behind the killings.
Marafa who used unprinted words to described the handling of security in the state by the government insisted that those behind killings were known.
Although Marafa argued the declaration of state of emergency in the state was the only way out of the worrisome situation, the motion was not seconded.
Because the proposition was not seconded, it was dead on arrival
Marafa again moved that the Senate should adopt a resolution calling on the state governor Abdulazizi Yari to stay in the state and do his work instead of always staying out the state.
The motion was also not seconded.
The Senate however agreed that its ad-hoc committee on security situation in the country should go to Zamfara to ascertain the extent of destruction of lives and property in the state.
This followed a motion on the โUrgent need to look into the killings that took place in Zurmi L.G.A of Zamfara Stateโ sponsored Senator. Tijjani Yahaya Kaura (Zamfara North)
Kaura in his debate noted that cross border banditry has brought Nigeriaโs frail security system to the lime light having triggered an orgy of violence in Zamfara State which left 39 people dead in Zurmi LGA on Wednesday 14th February 2018;
He recalled that following a motion that I moved on the 23rd of November 2017 on the โ Urgent need to look into the killings and arson that took place in Shinkafi L.G.A of Zamfara Stateโ as a result of which the Senate suspended plenary to discuss the deterioration of Internal Security in Nigeria, which led to the recently concluded Security summit;
The lawmaker regretted that despite the notice and warnings to the Law enforcement agencies on the impending attack by the Zamfara State Government 24 hours before the attack no precaution was taken to avert the unfortunate event;
He said that he is aware that Zamfara State Government has over the years taken a lot of measures to bring an end to the Menace including but not limited to providing logistics to security agencies as well as engaging the bandits on dialogue with a promise of laying down their arms to be reintegrated back into the society;
He added that he also aware that the Federal Government since the last Shinkafi attack had deployed 1 Battalion of the Nigerian Army in the troubled area. In addition to the directives given by the President to security agencies to identify and bring the perpetrators to book;
Kaura said that he is concerned that hundreds of lives have been lost to such attacks in the State over the last four years.
He expressed worry that the latest attacks have caused fears across the State, especially around rural communities who have had similar experiences in the past and are helpless;
He also express sadness that these security breaches are on the increase despite the huge resources being expended by the Federal and Zamfara State Governments,
He prayed the Senate to resolve to urge the federal government to direct the Nigerian Air force to use air surveillance to identify the location of the armed bandits within the sparse forest and flush them out as well as urge the Federal Government to mount diplomatic pressure on Niger republic and Chad to forestall criminals from using their territories to launch attack on Nigeria.
The two prayers were adopted.
