By Matthew Denis with Agency report
The Senate President of Nigeria, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has called for state community policing to put an end to menace of violence in the country.
The Senate had on Wednesday resolved to make N10 billion available in the 2019 budget to cater for the internally displaced and other persons affected by the activities of bandits in Zamfara State.
The Senate President while speaking on the issue as monitored on channel TV stressed that the remedy to killings in the country is introduction of state policing in the various communities because they are familiar with the terrains.
He said ” there is no doubt that the security situation of this country presently cannot meet the demands and challenges before it.
“One of the decisions we took today is to address the issue of State and Community policing by involving all stakeholders.”
In his contribution, the deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu described the issues as worrisome.
He lamented the absence of media personnel in the state to report the killings is a setback and the state needs state of emergency.
This is sad because media houses do not have correspondents in Zamfara. So, most of these killings are not in the open.
The Senate leader, Ahmed Lawan, urged his colleagues as well as the federal government to be practical in their approach.
He stressed the need to look for immediate and long-term solutions.
He, therefore, prayed that the security-related committees engage security agencies to figure out a better mode of operation to be applied.
Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central), also regretted that despite several operations carried out by the security agencies, none has solved the problem.
“The army has carried out several operations. Python, tiger, scorpion, lion and all sorts of ‘sloganeering’ operations. That has still not solved the problem.
“Recently the state government engaged hunters and bullet charmers. That has still not solved the problem.
“Two and half years ago, President Muhammadu Buhari visited the state. That has still not solved the problem.
“The country is at war. People killed in Zanfara State are more than the reports we get of people being killed in Somalia, Afghanistan,” he said.
