Insecurity: National Assembly to Announce Decision on Declaration of Bandits as Terrorists

• Amid challenges of insecurity in the country, Nigerian lawmakers will be making a decision concerning those terrorising citizens
• The National Assembly on Thursday, October 21, revealed that it would transmit its resolution on the declaration of bandits as terrorists next week
• Groups, politicians have called on the federal government led by President Buhari to declare bandits in the northwest region as terrorists

The National Assembly has said it will transmit its resolution asking President Muhammadu Buhari to declare bandits as terrorists next week.

Daily Trust reports that the legislative body on Thursday, October 21, said its approval would be sent to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

This is following motions by Senator Ibrahim Gobir (APC, Sokoto) and a member of the House of Representatives Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos).

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Benson, chairman, House Committee on Defence, said declaring bandits as terrorists would facilitate their prosecution and that of its sponsors under the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2011 (As Amended).

The lawmaker added that any person associated with such groups can then be prosecuted and sentenced to penalties in the Act.

Why full arsenal has not been deployed against bandits

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces recently revealed why its yet to deploy full arsenal against bandits who have dominated the northern region, The Punch added.

Speaking to the National Assembly through its committee, the armed forces indicated that the agreement signed following the purchase of fighter jets from the US is for it to be deployed against terrorists and insurgents, and not bandits.

Sources within NASS said the complaints by the service chiefs led to the recent demand by the Senate and the House of Representatives that bandits be declared as terrorists.

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Reps back Senate, ask Buhari to declare bandits as terrorists

Recall that the decision of members of the House of Representatives during plenary on Thursday, September 30, was that bandits who operate in the northwest and northcentral should be called terrorists.

Through a voice vote, the motion was unanimously adopted after it was thrown open by the speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila.

When Gbajabiamila asked lawmakers if any of them object to the resolve, the general response was "No!"

Governor El-Rufai urges buhari to declare bandits as terrorists

Similarly, the federal government was asked to declare bandits in the northwest region as terrorists or insurgents.

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state made the appeal after receiving the third quarter security report from the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan.

El-Rufai speaking at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna on Wednesday, October 20, maintained that the declaration would allow the Nigerian military to attack and kill bandits without any major consequences.

Source: Legit.ng