Again, Niger Assembly raises issues over worsening security situation in the state

***Tells Gov to equip Vigilantes, other security agencies with necessary gadgets

Barely two weeks after a failed attempt by Bandits to abduct the Chairman of Tafa local government area of Nigér state, Hon. Danladi T. Itah from his residence in Sabon Wuse, the headquarters of the local government, the State’s House of Assembly has asked the Executive arm of the government to as a matter of urgency equip the local Vigilante group and other security agencies in the state with the necessary gadgets and weapons.
The house assembly expressed grave concern over what the legislatures described as the worsening security situation in parts of the state and concluded that it is high time the state government equip all the security agencies with sophisticated weapons to enable them confront the criminals.
The house resolution followed a matter of urgent public importance brought by members representing Tafa and Munya state constituencies, Hon. Sani Idris and Hon. Joseph Duza at the plenary on Tuesday. In the motion, they had raised the alarm over the escalation of bandits activities in their local government areas.
Hon. Idris in his motion called on the state Governor Rt. Hon. Umar Bago to as a matter of urgency strengthen the security architecture in Tafa local government area to curb the menace of Banditry bedevilling the local government.
He pointed out that the last two months have been “hell on earth” for the  people of the area.
According to him “The last few months, bandits have been unleashing mayhem on the people of Tafa local government area, maiming, killing and hordes of people from different communities in the local government”
He disclosed that within one month, the gunmen have launched nine different attacks on Communities across the local government, killing two people and abducting 13 others.
Among those abducted, he said included a Reverend Father, Paul Sanogo  and two foreigners, a Malian and a Kenyan who were picked from Haram community in the local government.
Hon. Idris pointed out that the incessant attacks by kidnapers and bandits at the fringes of the local government and Bwari Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) “has become unprecedented and worrisome development to the people of the area.
“It is affecting both human and economic being of the area. This is even as the people cannot go to farm to harvest their farm produce as a result of this ugly activities of the kidnappers”.
He listed communities that are constantly at the receiving ends from the Bandits attacks to include Kuchiko, Ijah, Daupe, Katampe and Ijah Gbagyi.
He therefore urged the house to call on the executive arm of government to urgently establish Military and local Hunters/Vigilantes camps around Ijah Gbagyi, Zhibi and Gyedna communities that share borders withe FCT.
In addition to this, he asked the assembly to urge the executive arm to collaborate with the FCT administration to engage developers that can establish meaningful economic activities in the extensive dense forests that bordered Tafa LGA and Bwari Area Council in FCT which have continue to provide save heaven for the gunmen.
In his motion, Hon. Duza from Munya Constituency said there is the need for the state government to properly equip the local Vigilantes and other security agencies in the state in other to withstand the superior fire power of the bandits.
This, he maintained should be done in accordance with the Niger State Vigilante (Amendment) corps law 2021 which empowers the special vigilante armed squad to bear arms in accordance to the firearms Act 2004.
To achieve this, he pointed out that “there is the need for the state government to redirect parts of the monthly allocation of the security funds of the local government councils towards the procurement of these arms and Ammunitions for the Vigilantes and other security agencies in the state”.