The Nigerian Senate has directed the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.), to immediately deploy more security personnel to the South-West geopolitical zone.
Naija News reports that the Senate gave the directive on Wednesday following the security challenges rocking the South-west region including banditry, herdsmen killings, amongst others.
The lawmakers noted that the directive was needed to avert a looming humanitarian crisis likely to occur as a result of the displacement of residents in Ogun State and other troubled states.
The Senate also charged the National Emergency Management Agency, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the Border Communities Development Agency to undertake an ‘on-the-spot’ assessment of the affected communities with a view to determining the extent of the problem and providing relief to the affected persons.
These formed part of resolutions reached by the Senate after it considered two separate motions on the displacement of residents following the invasion of their communities by bandits and suspected herdsmen.
Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah (All Progressives Congress, Kebbi Central) in the first motion noted with concern the rising humanitarian situation in Bena, Kebbi State, arising from the activities of bandits in neighbouring Zamfara State which shares a border with Kebbi State.
According to the lawmaker, “the internally displaced persons from about 17 villages in Zamfara sharing the border with Kebbi State have moved to Bena, wasagu, mage areas with no arrangements for an Internally Displaced Persons camp and are scattered all over, making it difficult to cater for their welfare.”
Accordingly, the Senate while urging the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to, as a matter of urgency, establish IDP camps in Bena and render support to those affected; charged the National Security Adviser and all agencies involved in internal security to increase deployment of security agencies to reverse the ugly situation.
Coming under Order 42 and 52 of the Senate Standing Rules, Senator Tolu Odebiyi (APC, Ogun West), in a separate motion recalled the recent spate of attacks by suspected herdsmen on communities in Yewa area of Ogun State.