The Senate on Wednesday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to declare bandits ravaging the northern part of the country terrorists and wage a total war on them.

They also asked that the president declare all known leaders of bandits wanted and arrest them wherever they were found for speedy prosecution.

The resolution was sequel to a motion on banditry in Sokoto State, particularly at Sokoto-East Senatorial District, sponsored by Ibrahim Gobir and co-sponsored by eight other senators.

Leading debate on the motion, Mr Gobir noted that Sokoto-East Senatorial District had become a haven for bandits escaping from the military campaign in Zamfara.

He lamented the killing of 21 security personnel in Dama and Gangara villages on September 25 by bandits.

The senator said 15 of those killed were soldiers, while three were from the mobile police force and the remaining three were from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

He said that the number of civilians from the neighbouring villages also affected by the attack was yet to be ascertained.

“This has gone to portray the seriousness of the problem which requires concerted and urgent action by the declaration of total war on banditry,” he stressed.

Mr Gobir added that losing such a number of trained security personnel would further deplete the numerical strength of the security personnel in the country.

He said that many of the bandits had relocated to Sabon Birni and Isa Local Government Areas in Sokoto State due to the sustained military operations at the Zamfara axis.

The senator observed that while the crackdown on the bandits was taking place in Zamfara, serious measures were not taken to protect neighbouring Sokoto State, leaving the latter exposed to bandits.

He also expressed worry that the present military onslaught on bandits was not well coordinated because it was concentrated only on Zamfara.

Uche Ekwunife (PDP-Anambra) said the government must rise to its primary responsibility of protecting lives and properties.

She said it was time President Buhari addressed the nation on the rising trend of insecurity.

The Senate also urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant Federal Governments agencies to give support to victims of banditry in Sokoto State and other parts of the country.