The Senate on Wednesday urged the Nigerian military to maintain vigilance in the north-western parts of Sokoto and Kebbi states to halt the activities of Lakurawa, a terrorist group, from spreading across the zone.

The resolution was sequel to a point of order raised by Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP-Kebbi) during plenary.

The motion was entitled, “Urgent Need for the Federal Government to Take Stringent Measures to Stop the Infiltration of a Group of Violent Terrorists Known as Lakurawa From Entrenching Themselves in Some North-Western Parts of Sokoto State and Kebbi.”

The upper legislative chamber also commended the military for their prompt response to the insurgency.

It directed the military to work with the communities and other security agencies to set up early warning mechanisms to forestall further incursions.

“We also urge the federal government to send an assessment team to the affected areas to estimate the extent of damage and to determine the immediate relief needs of the affected families,” it said.

Raising the point of order, Mr Abdullahi noted that a group of terrorists from neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali, known as Lakurawa, had infiltrated the country.

He said, “This is through the Nigeria-Niger border, at Illela, Tangaza and Silame local government areas of Sokoto. This violent gang of terrorists had raided and dispossessed these communities prior to the large-scale invasion of Mera, a village in the Augie Local Government Area of the state on November 8.’’

The senator, however, said that the Kebbi State government had promptly responded by sending a delegation with relief materials to the affected villages and assistance to the families of the deceased.

He said that if timely, adequate and decisive measures were not taken, the group could spread its reign of terror to other northern parts of the country and beyond.

Contributing, Adamu Aliero (PDP-Kebbi) said that the time to act “is now if we want to control the spread of these terrorists.
“I want us to recall what happened in the 8th and 9th Senates. We had discussed extensively how we could stem the tide of banditry and terrorism. We made far-reaching recommendations and we asked the executive arm of government to implement the resolutions.

“It is still relevant for us to insist that those resolutions should be implemented. If we do so, it will reduce the incidents of banditry and insurgency in the country. In fact, we can reduce it to the barest minimum.’’

In his remarks, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said, “This is the way it starts. And if it is not nipped in the bud, it will spread terror across many parts of the country.”

Commending the military, he urged them to continue to maintain their presence in those zones to forestall further intrusion into the country. 

(NAN)