The Senate on Tuesday urged the federal government to treat worsening insecurity and mass displacement in Kebbi State as an urgent national security and humanitarian emergency.
The resolutions followed a motion moved by Adamu Aliero (Kebbi South) and seconded by Francis Fadahunsi (Ondo South) during plenary on Tuesday in Abuja.
Moving the motion, Mr Aliero said the deadly bandit attacks in Kebbi State communities amid intensified military operations in neighbouring states had forced residents to flee their communities and abandon their livelihoods.
The lawmaker expressed concern that the movement of bandits into Kebbi State from neighbouring states triggered killings, forced displacement and livelihood disruptions and heightened fears.
Mr Aliero urged security agencies to intensify coordinated operations against armed groups and directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide immediate relief to displaced residents.
Adopting the motion, the Senate urged the federal government to provide adequate personnel, operational logistics and financial resources to prevent further attacks and protect vulnerable communities.
The Senate called on the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff and Inspector-General of Police to strengthen joint operations with relevant security and intelligence agencies to tackle the menace.
It urged the security chiefs to deploy adequate personnel and equipment, improve surveillance and intelligence gathering and intensify coordinated efforts to neutralise armed groups responsible for the attacks.
The Senate stressed the need for a comprehensive security response to prevent further loss of lives and stop additional residents from being displaced from their ancestral communities.
The lawmakers urged NEMA to assess displaced persons’ needs and provide food, potable water, temporary shelter, clothing, bedding, medical supplies and sanitation facilities.
According to the Senate, affected households must receive the necessary assistance to protect their health and dignity while they remain displaced from their communities.
It also called on the federal and Kebbi governments to establish joint security and humanitarian response mechanisms to monitor developments and coordinate emergency interventions.
The lawmakers emphasised that restoring security must go hand-in-hand with efforts to facilitate the safe, voluntary and dignified return of displaced residents.
They urged both levels of government to restore essential services, rehabilitate damaged facilities and support the recovery of livelihoods disrupted by the attacks.
The Senate also called for thorough investigation into the killings, particularly the reported murder of three employees of Hitech, alongside other victims of the attacks.
The lawmakers subsequently observed a one-minute silence in honour of those killed and extended condolences to bereaved families and affected communities.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who presided over proceedings, sympathised with the affected communities, saying President Bola Tinubu was committed to ensuring the safety of lives and property, restoring peace and providing necessary assistance to displaced residents.
(NAN)
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