Governor Aminu Masari has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency on security in Nigeria.

The governor made the call during a meeting of the nation’s 36 speakers of the houses of assembly under the Conference of Nigerian Speakers.

Mr Masari, who said security agencies were doing their best in tackling insecurity nationwide, urged the federal government to adopt more measures to resolve the problem. 

“The federal government should declare a state of emergency on the nation’s security. Our major problem in Katsina state is the security challenges facing us in parts of the state,” explained Mr Masari. “With support from the Katsina State House of Assembly, some legal framework has been put in place, while existing ones were restructured in order to address the security challenges.”

Katsina and other northern states, especially in the North-West, have been ravaged by bandits who kidnap for ransom, kill and plunder communities. Several efforts by some northern governors to negotiate with the bandits have failed, with the bandits becoming more emboldened, even invading military facilities and shooting down a fighter jet. 

Mr Buhari had changed his service chiefs hoping they would bring bandits and Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists to their knees but to no avail.

The speakers met in Katsina to discuss and proffer solutions to the lingering security challenges in the country.

The conference was the third quarterly meeting of the speakers held on Saturday in Katsina.

The chairman of the conference, Abubakar Suleiman, said insecurity was not only affecting the economic growth and development of the country but also its peace and unity.

“Insecurity in our country today has assumed a disturbing dimension and constitutes a serious threat not only to the economic growth and development but also to the peace and unity of the nation,” said Mr Suleiman. “This is the time, therefore, that all hands must be on deck to fight the menace of insecurity for the good of our nation. As representatives of the people at the grassroots, we are indeed worried and disturbed by the negative trend of the menace of insecurity in the nation.”

The speakers also called on governors to grant financial autonomy to the legislative and judicial arms to enhance good governance in the country.

(NAN)