The Presidency has assured that all 36 States of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory will be treated equally while tackling security and socio-economic challenges facing the country.
Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, spoke in reaction to Tuesday’s Senate resolution calling on the Federal Government to include Niger, Zamfara, Kaduna, Sokoto and Kebbi States in the military operations against bandits.
The Senate resolution follows Malam Shehu’s statement on President Muhammadu Buhari’s authorization on Sunday for a major military operation to sweep bandits and kidnappers out of his home State of Katsina.
The Senate at plenary, on Tuesday, while commending President Buhari for his directive to launch a military offensive against bandits in Katsina State, asked the President to integrate adjoining States of Niger, Zamfara, Kaduna, Kebbi and Sokoto.
Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Niger North), who sponsored the Senate motion, said that “the criminalities by these armed bandits and kidnappers is carried out mostly under the cover of the contagious forests reserves and areas stretching from Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger States with pockets of safe havens in Kebbi and Sokoto States.”
The lawmaker expressed concerns that “a major offensive in Katsina State alone is likely to make the armed bandits and kidnappers seek safer haven in Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger states which hosts the Zurmi and Kamuku forests among others, further compounding the plight of hapless and poor communities along these forest corridors.”
He added that, “it was the earlier massive operations in Zamfara and Kaduna States that led the armed bandits to seek safe haven elsewhere, this moving into Katsina and Niger States respectively; and some others pushing their luck to some parts of Sokoto and Kebbi States.
But Malam Garba Shehu said that the Buhari administration would not make any State to suffer discrimination in dealing with security and other matters on account of their political differences with the government at the centre.
Already, he said, the Ministry of Defence had concluded plans to begin “Operation Accord,” a major military exercise aimed at flushing out insurgents from the contiguous states of Kaduna, Niger, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto and parts of Kebbi States.
“While today’s Senate resolution is perfectly in order, it is important to state that in his duty as Commander-in-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari has already approved the commencement of this operation. Beyond this announcement, no other details concerning the mode, scope, timings and other essentials will be revealed so as not to compromise its success.
“It is, however, important to outline the fact the all the States of the federation are equal and important before the President. None has suffered any discrimination up to this point, and none will be made to suffer any such discrimination in dealing with security and all other matters on account on their political differences with the government at the centre.’’
Banditry violence has negatively affected Nigerians living in Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger, Sokoto, Kebbi and Katsina States. It began as a as a farmer/herdsmen conflict in 2011 and intensified between 2017 to 2018 to include cattle rustling, kidnapping for ransom, sexual violence and killings.
The banditry violence was exacerbated by the discovery of gold mines and the activities of illegal miners competing for the control of gold reserves. This has served to further intensify the existence and activities of armed groups in the Northwest.
Apart from the general insecurity, killings and disruption of lives, the banditry violence has hampered agricultural activities and heightened the risk of acute food insecurity as famers are frequently attacked in their farms and even at home, their products are carted away.
Last week, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) said that last month (April), the banditry and violence in parts of Northwest region forced about 23,000 Nigerians to seek safety and security in Niger Republic.
The new entrants fueled Nigerian refugee figures there to 60,000, as desperate women and children flee bandits’ attacks Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara States during the month of April to take sanctuary in neighbouring Niger Republic Maradi region. The Nigerian refugees speak of the bandits’ extreme violence against civilians, murders, kidnappings for ransom and pillaging and looting of villages.
UNHCR Spokesperson, Babar Baloch, on Wednesday in Geneva, Switzerland, expressed the Agency’s concerns about deteriorating security inside Nigeria.
The UNHR said that the refugees are being allowed into Niger Republic despite border closures due to the rampaging Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, adding that the new arrivals are in urgent need of water, food and access to health services, as well as shelter and clothing. Many, it said, were barely able to carry anything in the rush to save lives.
The UN agency stated that it is working closely with authorities in Niger Republic to relocate at least 7,000 refugees to safety, in villages 20 kilometres away from the border, where water, food, shelter, access to health and other essential assistance can be provided.
Desperate for solutions, some Governors of the region had negotiated with the bandits, extracting generous concessions from the government. But the more concessions they receive, the more savagery they become. It is so bad that no day passes without reports of major attacks against farmers or settlements in the region.
It is in the heat of this situation that President Buhari authorised the commencement of a major military operation to sweep bandits and kidnappers out of Katsina State.
But the Senator representing Sokoto East in the Senate, Ibrahim Gobir, lamented that bandits’ attacks in his State had gone so bad that the people now get help from Nigerien, not Nigerian soldiers.
Contributing on Tuesday at the Senate plenary, Senator Gobir said that the Katsina operation should encompass the entire Northwest region, regretting that the attacks in Sokoto State had resulted in the loss of 300 human lives, rustling of 5,780 cows and thousands of people taking refuge in neighbouring Niger Republic.
Gobir said at the Senate floor: “The situation is so bad that we only get help from Niger Republic. Whenever there was an attack and the Nigerian Army was called, they will come, patrol the affected areas and go. Nigeria can’t be big for nothing and watch Nigerien Army to assist us.”
The Senate however urged President Buhari to expand the scope of military operations against bandits to include Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger, Sokoto and other places being attacked by bandits. Red Chamber also urged the military and the police formations to increase surveillance operations to track the bandits’ movements to prevent them from accessing safe haven in other places.