A Nigerian senator, Ibrahim Abdullahi-Gobir (APC-Sokoto), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to mobilise retired security operatives to improve security across violence-ridden areas.

Mr Abdullahi-Gobir stated this in a statement by his spokesman Bello Muhammad, on Friday in Sokoto.

The lawmaker noted that mobilising retired security officers did not require fresh training.

He also advised Mr Buhari’s regime to redeploy all security operatives that stayed in an area for a long time.

Mr Abdullahi-Gobir further appealed to the regime to equip the security agents with modern weapons to fight bandits and Boko Haram.

The senator, representing Sokoto East Senatorial District, lamented that banditry and other criminal activities were on the increase in Sabon Birni, Isa, Wurno, Rabah, Goronyo, Gada, and Illela local government areas.

He said the number of security officials in the affected areas was grossly inadequate to tackle the security challenges.

According to him, the bandits have robbed residents of their animals and other valuables and prevented them from farming, subjecting residents to abject poverty.

The lawmaker further urged the regime to deploy security men with vehicles armed with “enough weapons” to protect lives and properties in the affected areas.

Mr Abdullahi-Gobir, who is also the chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, expressed concern about the protection of lives and property of citizens.

The Sokoto government had, on August 18, this year, convened a stakeholders security meeting to address the challenge.

Governor Aminu Tambuwal also inaugurated an advisory committee headed by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, to proffer a lasting solution to rising banditry in the state.

(NAN)