The Senate on Wednesday asked President Muhammadu Buhari (to declare a state of emergency on security without further delay.
The red chamber made the call following a point of order by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), on the abduction of students and the staff of the Government Science Secondary School in Kagara, Niger State in the early hours of Wednesday.
The attack led to the death of at least one student, while an unknown number was said to have been taken away by the bandits. The Senator said the terrorists were dressed in military uniforms.
The Senate demanded the implementation of its ad hoc resolution on security and urged the combined team of military and police to set up an operation to destroy criminal camps across the country.
Senator Sabi Abdullahi, another from Niger State, said the kidnappers and bandits were emboldened by the successes being recorded in the state in recent time as about 100 people had so far been kidnapped in the state.
He said the forest from the FCT which extends to Niger up to Zamfara State was being used by the criminals.
He said the fact that the bandits have invaded Niger State was an indication that the safety of lives and properties of FCT residents is being threatened.
Senator Bima Enagi, the third Senator also from Niger State, asserted that the Buhari regime had proven incompetent to handle security challenges in the country.
“We need to amend the constitution so that governors should be chief security officers of their states since the government at the centre had failed to protect the lives and properties of Nigerians.
“The Federal Government is busy giving palliative instead of creating employment, thus aggravating insecurity,” Enagi said.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, described the kidnap of the students as unfortunate.
He, however, said the security agencies had challenges with personnel and funds.
“Abduction of students from school happens in the northern part of Nigeria.
H noted that frequent incidents of kidnapping of students would reverse the gains made in school enrollment over the years in the North.
“With incidences like this, parents would be scared to take their wards to school, and the efforts of the past and by present leaders at providing education would be defeated.
“Service chiefs have to secure the schools and have to carry the states along.”
