Lawmakers Urge Security Agencies to Enforce Bandits’ Proscription Order

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The House of Representatives has urged the Nigerian Army, the Police and other security agencies to ensure the enforcement of the proscription order as published in the official gazette 108, which declared the activities of bandits and such groups as terrorists.

As contained in volume 108 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria official Gazette titled: “Terrorism (Prevention) Proscription Order Notice, 2021,” the federal government had officially proscribed bandit groups in Nigeria as terrorists.

Owing to this, the House mandated the security agencies to rise up and stem the rising killings of innocent persons across Benue communities, especially those bordering Nasarawa state.
It urged NEMA and Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to send relief material to those in the affected areas who had been displaced.

The resolutions of the lawmakers were sequel to adoption of a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Hon. Bem Mzondu.

Moving the motion, Mzondu said there’s urgent need to stop the renewed increasing terrorist attacks and gruesome killings by armed herdsmen and bandits in Benue communities.

He recalled the attack and gruesome killing by herdsmen in Benue communities in Guma, Markudi, Gwer west local governments of the state.

One of such attacks, according to him, happened at the early hour of Monday, March 7, 2022, when suspected herdsmen and bandits unleased terror on a community, killing five persons while several others sustained different level of injuries.

He expressed concerns about the suspicious collusion of army and other security agencies in the attack, as an army unit is stationed less than 5km from the location where the herdsmen and bandits operated for more than two hours without any intervention from security agencies.

Mzondu said, “Again, aware of the official gazette that any person or group of person participating in any manner whatsoever in any form of activities concerning or involving or concerning proscription collective intention or otherwise or group referred to in paragraph one of this notice will be violating the provision of the terrorism provision act of 2011 and liable to prosecution.

“Also conscious of the provision of Section 4(2b) of the constitution of federal republic of Nigeria as amended which guarantees that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government, especially the federal government.”

Adopting the motion, the House commiserated with the families of those killed in the dastardly attacks and observed a minute silence.