The government’s reluctance to declare bandits terrorists was frustrating the efforts of security agents in winning the war against the hoodlums.
The Katsina State House of Assembly has urged the Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government and the state government to declare bandits as terrorists.
The Chairman of the committee on security matters in Katsina State House of Assembly, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar, said that the government’s reluctance to declare bandits terrorists was frustrating the efforts of security agents in winning the war against the hoodlums.
The lawmaker representing Dutsima Constituency made the disclosure on Monday, during the presentation of its committee’s report after their deliberations with security agencies on the incessant attack on citizens in the state by bandits.
Abubakar, who said that the call was part of its recommendations, noted that the declaration of bandits as terrorists would give the military, the police and other security agencies the power to deal with them accordingly.
“There is what we call, `limitation of administration’. This means there are some actions that security agencies cannot take against bandits because they have not been declared as terrorists.
“Therefore, there is the need for the declaration of the bandits as terrorists so that all necessary measures can be taken by security agencies to fight them.
“During our investigation, we realised that the Security Containment Order signed by Governor Aminu Masari, recorded a lot of successes in inhibiting the bandits.
“We have realised that attacks, kidnapping and killing of people by bandits have reduced by about 35 per cent. This shows that the security agencies are also trying their best,” Abubakar said.
According to him, the committee recommends that government reviews the order to eliminate its attendant negative effect on residents of affected areas, but without curtailing its successes.
After careful deliberation on the matter, the members adopted the report and called on the federal and state governments to declare bandits as terrorists.