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Holds valedictory session for late Senator Ezea
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From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The Senate has called for the urgent deployment of military and police reinforcements to Katsina State in response to renewed bandit attacks that reportedly claimed no fewer than 35 lives within a 24-hour period, particularly across the Funtua axis.
This is just as the Senate urged President Tinubu to honour his pledge to establish a military barracks in the Funtua Zone, while also directing the Inspector-General of Police to equip the newly established police squadron in the area with at least three armoured personnel carriers.
These decisions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance brought under Order 42 by Dandutse Mohammed, representing Katsina South, who alerted the chamber to the deteriorating security situation in the state and appealed for immediate federal action.
Presenting the motion, Dandutse said the state had been thrown into mourning following a recent ambush on operatives of the Nigeria Police Mobile Force in Guga, Bako Local Government Area of Katsina metropolis. He disclosed that three policemen were killed in the attack, while two others sustained critical injuries.
He further informed the Senate that coordinated bandit assaults carried out across communities in the Funtua Zone as of Tuesday had resulted in at least 35 fatalities. According to the lawmaker, 24 people were killed in Faskari Local Government Area, eight in Bakori, two in Funtua Local Government Area, and one in Kankara Local Government Area — all within less than 24 hours.
Dandutse lamented that insecurity had also crippled agricultural activities in the zone, with more than 50,000 farmlands left uncultivated. He said the situation posed a serious threat to food security, agricultural output, and the livelihoods of residents.
The lawmaker recalled that the Katsina State Governor, accompanied by traditional rulers and elders from the Funtua Zone, had earlier paid a courtesy visit to President Bola Tinubu to express concern over the worsening insecurity.
“During the visit, the President pledged to establish a military barracks in Malumfashi to secure the zone,” the senator said.
Despite the assurance, he continued, criminal elements have continued to take advantage of porous routes linking Katsina with neighbouring states. He listed the Zamachi–Kanduse and Magami–Asuwa corridors in Kaduna State, Power Hill in Kankara, and the Zamfara axis as major escape routes used by bandits.
Senator Dandutse cautioned that failure to act decisively could trigger mass displacement, destroy rural livelihoods, and leave lasting psychological scars on affected communities, while urging residents of Katsina and other parts of the country to remain united, vigilant, supportive of security agencies, and resist internal collaborators who compromise national security.
While commending President Tinubu and the security agencies for steps already taken, he called for sustained and coordinated operations to flush out criminal elements completely.
Following deliberations, the lawmakers appealed to the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide immediate relief materials to affected families and communities.
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The chamber also observed a one-minute silence in honour of victims of the attacks.
In his comments, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibril noted that the Federal Government had already instructed the military to intensify operations in Katsina State, particularly around the Funtua axis.
While commending the military and the Katsina State Government for their efforts, he stressed the need for additional troops, improved technology, and more decisive action.
“The military is doing well, the governor is doing well, but we need to do more. This is a very fertile agricultural area that can feed the nation. We cannot allow bandits to continue killing people daily,” Barau said.
Contributing to the debate, Senate Whip, Tahir Monguno, described the motion as timely and germane, stressing that the protection of lives and property remained the primary responsibility of government. He noted that insecurity in Katsina was already taking a toll on national food security and called for the full implementation of plans to establish a military formation in the affected areas.
On his part, Titus Zam expressed sympathy with the people of Katsina and observed that although military operations had curbed attacks in parts of Benue State, fresh killings had recently been recorded in Kwande Local Government Area.
He urged the armed forces to further scale up firepower and increase the tempo of operations across the country.
Also speaking, Ahmed Wadada warned against negotiating with bandits, describing such engagements as counterproductive. He emphasised the importance of effective intelligence gathering and called on communities to support security agencies with timely and credible information.
In his closing remarks, Senate President Akpabio acknowledged the frustration and anger expressed by lawmakers over persistent insecurity, assuring that the National Assembly would prioritise increased funding for the military in the 2026 budget.
He noted that Nigeria’s vast geographical size made it impractical to deploy troops to every community, advocating instead for greater use of modern technology, including sophisticated drones, to secure hard-to-reach areas.
Akpabio also warned against collaboration with criminal elements, stressing that intelligence leaks from within communities often undermine security operations.
He assured senators that the resolutions of the Senate would be actively followed up with the executive to ensure not only approvals but the timely release of funds, expressing optimism that sustained efforts would eventually bring banditry to an end.
After adopting the motion, the Senate proceeded to the business of the day, which was a tribute session for the late senator from Enugu State, Okechukwu Ezea.
