Establish ranches to stop wanton killings by criminal herders, Senate urges FG

•Seeks limits in implementation of ECOWAS treaty on free movement

 

By Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja

The Senate has called for the establishment of ranches that are commercially viable and safe for both the herders and all Nigerians.

It also called for a clear definition of limits in the implementation of the ECOWAS treaty that allows unrestricted movement of people among member states to enable checks on movement of criminals posing as herdsmen around the country.

The upper chamber equally urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate, arrest and prosecute criminal gangs to serve as deterrent to others.

These decisions were part of resolutions contained in a motion of urgent importance moved by Anthony Siyako Yaro (Gombe South) on the urgent need to address incessant banditry attacks/killings and displacement of innocent Nigerians in some villages at Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State during plenary on Tuesday.

Speaking to the motion, Yaro noted that Sections 33 and 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) provide that every person has the right to life and no one shall intentionally be deprived of his or her life.

He also noted that Section 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) provides that every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria, and to reside in any part therein.

The senator said he was alarmed that suspected herders armed with dangerous weapons during the late hours of Wednesday to early hours of Thursday 11 December, 2024 invaded communities of Sansani, Kalindi, Powishi and Lawushi Daji Villages Kalmai District in Billiri Local Government Senatorial District of Gombe State on motor bikes, attacked and killed several residents including a Cleric and also burnt down residential houses, large food stuffs, livestock and many scores were displaced.

He stated that he was worried that such a development is threatening the peace and security in the area and neighbouring state, such as Taraba, Bauchi, and Adamawa State and had negatively impacted food sufficiency and major economic activities

He noted that the primary duty and obligation of the government is to ensure the protection of the lives and properties of every Nigerian.

In his contribution to the motion, Abdul Ningi queried the role of governors in ensuring that their states are secure, adding that there was none of them that receives less than N500 million monthly as security votes.

‘’I know as a matter of fact that every state government has security votes. This issue is what security vote represents and why is it that every time there is security problem, nobody mentions the role of the governors?’’

He added that the constitution is clear that the governors are chief security officers of the state and so the security of lives and properties should not be left to the president alone.

Speaking to the Senate president, he said as a former governor of a state, he was in a position to let people know what the security vote is used for.

Responding, Godswill Akpabio told him: ‘’When you become a governor, you will find out what they do with the security vote.’’ He noted that the number of attempts on security that are stopped or foiled by security agencies surpass the ones that happen and are reported. “They are not reported because it is only bad news that is good news.’’

The lawmakers resolved that the IGP should collaborate with the army to set up a joint task force in Billiri, Gombe State, to stop the wanton killing of people in the area.

Similarly, its Committees on National Security and Intelligence, Police Affairs and Legislative Compliance were mandated to investigate the recent killings in Billiri, Gombe State.

The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) And North East Development Commission were also asked to provide relief materials to the victims to cushion the effects of the unwarranted attacks while a minute silence was held in honour of the deceased.