Buhari to get N/Assembly resolution on bandits as terrorists next week

The National Assembly says it will transmit its resolutions on declaring bandits as terrorists to President Muhammadu Buhari next week.

The Senate had, on September 29, passed a resolution, urging Buhari to declare bandits as terrorists and wage a total war against them.

It also asked the President to give orders to the military to eliminate them by bombing their hideouts.

The resolutions followed a motion by Senator Ibrahim Gobir (APC, Sokoto), who lamented that Sokoto  East Senatorial District has now become a safe haven for bandits, following a crackdown on them by the military in Zamfara.

The following day, the House of Representatives passed the same resolution, following a motion by Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos).

Benson, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Defence, said declaring bandits as terrorists would facilitate their prosecution under the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2011 (As Amended).

“Such an order will officially bring the activities of bandits and their sponsors within the purview of the Terrorism Prevention Act. And any person associated with such groups can then be prosecuted and sentenced to penalties in the Act,” he said.

National Assembly’s Director of Information, Rawlings Agada, told Daily Trust, “The transmission of the resolution is almost at the final stage of the Clerk to the National Assembly’s approval to go to the SGF’s office.

“Hopefully between tomorrow (Friday) and Monday next week, it should be in the SGF’s office.”