Abuja-Kaduna train attack: Senate asks Buhari to declare full-scale war on bandits

The senate has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a full-scale war on gunmen terrorising communities across the country.

The upper legislative chamber’s request came after Uba Sani, senator representing Kaduna central, drew the attention of the senate to an attack on a Kaduna-bound train.

The attack occurred around Kateri-Rijana area of Kaduna on Monday.

The train was said to have almost reached Rigasa, its final stop when the gunmen opened fire on it.

Some passengers were killed while others sustained injuries.

While contributing to a debate on the motion sponsored by Sani on Tuesday, Gabriel Suswam, senator representing Benue north-east, said the country is under attack and urgent measures should be taken to address insecurity in the country.

“It is time enough for the appropriate authority to have taken decisive actions to address the insecurity in our country,” Suswam said.

“This is the time that we as a senate meet with the leadership of this country to sit down and talk.”

On his part, Danjuma Laah, senator representing Kaduna south, said if Nasir el-Rufai, Kaduna governor, is not capable of solving the security problems in the state, he should seek help.

“In the whole country, the issue of Kaduna state is the worst. There must be an urgent action immediately to solve all the problems,” Laah said.

“If the governor is short of manpower, let him cry out.”

The motion was adopted after Senate President Ahmad Lawan put it to a voice vote.

In the motion, the upper legislative chamber asked the army and the air force to sustain their operations on the enclaves of these gunmen.

It also asked the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials for the victims of the attack.