Fred Itua, Abuja

The senate, yesterday, raised the alarm over the state of insecurity in President Muhammadu Buhari’s home state, Katsina, following recent violent attacks carried out by bandits.

Senator Kabir Barkiya from Katsina State, in a motion on the issue, painted a terrible picture.

He said it was as a result of the ferocious activities of the bandits in the state that he had to approach the senate for help through the motion.

In his lead debate, Barkiya urged the senate to note the incessant attacks, kidnapping and killings unleashed by bandits on the peaceful people of Katsina State “which has brought commercial, religious and social activities in the state to a standstill.”

He said the attacks have resulted in the loss of lives, displacement of residents, destruction of livestock and crippled businesses.

He urged the senate to particularly observe the attacks in the towns of Batsari, Tsohuwa, Kasai and Yargamji in Batsari Local Government Area and Gobirawa and Sabawa in Safana local government areas “where more than 17 persons were killed.”

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He said that 49 persons were kidnapped in Kurfi Local Government Area and all their belongings stolen while 20 others were killed in Mara Zanfawara in Danmusa Local Government Area.

He lamented that 20 people were also killed, 30 kidnapped and 10 vehicles burnt in Shimfida village in Jibia Local Government Area in the state.

He further recalled that the attacks took a new turn since February when a senior military officer and six others were killed in Kasai village.

“Since then, it has been a harvest of killings and kidnapping of residents and indigenes, who are mostly farmers,” he said.

He added that despite the efforts of the Katsina State government to dialogue and negotiate with the bandits, there were still reported cases of banditry in some local governments like Batsari and Kurfi “indicating that urgent action is needed to nip these attacks in the bud.”

He, however, acknowledged the efforts of the Federal Government through the security agencies towards stemming the tide of attacks.

His prayer calling on the Federal Government to come to the aid of the internally displaced persons and other victims of the attacks through the National Emergency Management Agency was unanimously adopted when put to vote by the president of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan.