Fred Itua, Kaduna
The Senate has expressed worry that the Army was being overwhelmed and overstretched since it started providing internal security across the federation.
Senate committee on Army expressed the concern when it visited various Army formations in Kaduna State, as part of its annual oversight obligations, yesterday.
Chairman of the committee, Mohammed Ali Ndume, while meeting with the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Usman Mohammed, said the Army was currently operating in at least 33 out of the 36 states.
He said by constitutional design, the Army should not be involved in internal security arrangements. Ndume who was accompanied by four other senators, said the Army must be supported to enable it succeed.
“We insisted on this oversight visit for some reasons. The Army is facing its own challenges. By our constitution, the Army isn’t supposed to be involved in civil security.
“But we have security challenges across every part of the country. The Army had to be drafted to provide internal security. Right now, the Army provides internal security in about 33 states in the country. We can’t sit in Abuja and talk.
“We need to see for ourselves. We’re hoping that the Army will get back to its feet. As a country, we’re known to have a formidable Army. But these days, we are worried.”
On recent kidnappings along Kaduna-Abuja road, Ndume urged the Army to go after bandits and kidnappers in their various hideouts.
“In the last few months, we have had peace along the Kaduna-Abuja road. But on Sunday, what happened is worrisome. Along the Birni Gwari, the security situation is also alarming. Unfortunately, the Army doesn’t have the number needed to provide security,” he said.
The GOC, Mohammed, told the senators that they were going after bandits during the Christmas period, adding that more camps belonging to bandits would be located and destroyed in the coming days.
“We want to appreciate the support of your committee. We’re succeeding because of your support. We need your support to keep succeeding. We are not unmindful of the security challenges.
“Right now, we have three operations going. There is one along the Kaduna-Abuja road. We’re going after bandits during this Christmas period. We will flush them out. We have been seeing their recent hand along that road. We will keep doing our best. We always go after the bandits in their camps.
A member of the Senate committee, Colonel Bulus Amos (retd), said many villagers and peasants in areas where bandits operate often serve as informants. He urged the Division to be more tactical in its operations.
“Most people who are farmers, bike riders and villagers are informants. These bandits have informants everywhere. Soldiers need to go after them. If they meet them face-to-face, soldiers will finish them. Soldiers need to disguise and find a way to get the people to cooperate with them. These bandits live with us. They’re part of us and they live in communities. We need to do more,” he said.