Influx of bandits into Nigeria an indictment on FG, says senator

Tolu Odebiyi, senator representing Ogun west, says the infiltration of bandits into the country is an indictment on the federal government.

Speaking on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Wednesday, Odebiyi said the country is going through a national crisis.

He was contributing to a motion on insecurity sponsored by Ajayi Boroface, senator representing Ondo north.

The senator said the security situation in the country is unacceptable and President Muhammadu Buhari needs to “speak and calm the nation”.

He said: “We have a national crisis on our hands. It is a national crisis that has been devoid of leadership politically and morally. We must see it the way it is. Between May 2017 and May 2020, there have been 624 attacks, 2239 killed, 393 wounded, 253 kidnapped, 16 raped 752 homes destroyed. That is an analysis done by a research firm in Brussels on what is happening in this country.

“I have listened and for us to be saying that they (bandits/herders) are not Nigerians, that is an indictment on our leadership.

“That people are coming into this country and they are maiming our people, killing our people, they are raping our people and these are the same security people that we are now going to promote to be ambassadors of this country.

“It is an indictment and it is not acceptable. I represent a community that borders some countries, I went there over the weekend and the whole place has been destroyed by all these herdsmen.

“People’s earnings, people’s lives have been ruined. It is upsetting and we must rise. This country is on a precipice of a civil war. The president needs to speak and calm the nation.”

In August 2020, Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police (IGP), said most of the bandits in the country are foreigners.

“We have realised that most of the banditry has an international dimension. The bandits come from outside the country,” Adamu had said.