N’West, N’Central under kidnappers’ siege, need special funds too, Sani tells Buhari

Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani says that the communities in Kaduna, Zamfara, Niger and Plateau states are under siege by kidnappers.

He has therefore called on the federal government to establish a special fund to tackle the menace of the hoodlums in the north west and north central geo political zones of the country.

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum recently approved for the federal government to withdraw $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account to fight insurgency in the north east part of the country.

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari recently signed into law the North East Development Commission [NEDC] Bill 2017, to channel special funds allocated by the Federal Government and international donor agencies for the resettlement, rehabilitation, integration and reconstruction of roads, houses and business premises of victims of insurgency as well as tackling the menace of poverty and environmental challenges of the area.

Read also: Ignore Fayose, we supported Buhari to collect $1bn for Boko Haram fight because he has supported us to pay salaries —Govs

Also before the National Assembly, is a bill for the establishment of a South-East Development Commission which would be charged with the responsibility, among other things, to receive and manage fund from allocation of the Federation Account for the development, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of roads, houses and other infrastructure, as well as tackle the menace of poverty, ecological problems and any other related environmental or developmental challenges in the South-East states and for other related matters.

There is also a Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) charged with the mandate of developing the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria, which are mostly states in the south south geo political zone.

It is probably based on these that Senator Shehu also wants a special fund or commission for the North West and north central geo political zones.

He said, “Communities in Kaduna, Zamfara, Niger and Plateau states are under siege. Kidnappers and bandits have taken full control.I’m formally writing to the President to demand a surge to protect lives and properties”.

“All measures taken so far failed to address the problem. If it will take allocating a special sum from the excess crude account to assist the states and security agencies including the military, the President must act.

“The FG must not wait for the North West and North Central to become North East before taken seriously”.

The senator also asked why the federal government needs $1 billion to fight a Boko Haram that it says has been technically defeated.

“One billion dollars to fight Boko Haram as approved by the FG officially means the insurgent are yet to be “technically” defeated. The breakdown of the sum is necessary to make meaning out of it. Throwing money to counter those throwing bombs hasn’t worked in the past”, he said.

 

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