INSECURITY: Senate wants security operatives to stop using train

The Nigeria Senate on Wednesday decried the activities of kidnappers and bandits on highways across the country.

On how to stop the menace, Senate President Ahmad Lawan said the lawmakers must maintain that “uniformed people” desist from using the trains.

He added that ordinary people should only be allowed to be using the trains.

Lawan stated this following a Point of Order raised by Senator Dino Melaye on the floor of the senate on Wednesday.

The Kogi West Senator had in his point of order, decried the activities of kidnapping along Abuja-Lokoja expressway.

Stressing the importance of the road to northern and southern travelers, Melaye lamented that despite the high rate of kidnappings on the road, there was not enough security attention given to secure the area.

He said, “On the 24th of September, 2019, eight people were killed and 18 were kidnapped.

“We need to call on our security operatives to save Nigerians. We, as a senate, stand to protect lives and properties.”

Supporting the motion, the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP-Abia South) said, “As I stand before you, I don’t know. Most of us still don’t use the Abuja-Kaduna road because of insecurity. This means we have yielded to the bandits.

“Some state governments have even gone to negotiate with the bandits. We are in a big and difficult situation.”

He called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu and other security agencies to “be up in their responsibilities.”

Another senator, Danjuma Goje said, “Abuja is not safe, the small villages are not also safe. This motion is very important and very timely. My question is, why can’t we trace the kidnappers using technology? We should look for ways to combat this menace.”

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In his response, Lawan said, “We need to do something differently; we need to go back to that report of ad-hoc committee; we cannot go on like this.

“We need to give security agencies some more funds but insist on accountability. We must see how they utilise money.

“We must also insist that uniform people do not join the train. They should allow ordinary people to use the train.”

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