‘Our state overtaken by bandits’ — senators behind social media/hate speech bills cry out

Sani Musa, senator representing Niger east, and Sabi Abdullahi, senator representing Niger north, say bandits have overtaken their state.

Musa is the sponsor of the bill seeking to regulate social media while Abdullahi is the sponsor of that which is seeking to curb hate speech.

Raising a matter of urgent national importance on Wednesday, Musa said the security architecture in his constituency “is not working”.

“There are no security agencies intercepting them. You cannot imagine the victims I have seen, they will hardly survive because they are all having injuries from gunshots,” the senator said.

“So I’m bringing this matter of urgency to this hallowed chamber to rise to this occasion because the insecurity is becoming alarming and if we should allow it continue and we feel safe here, we are not safe. I’m putting this motion so that something drastic can be done.

“I will want this house to resolve in calling the security chiefs to order. The security architecture in that area is not working. The bandits from Katsina, Zamfara are all in Niger state.”

Speaking on the matter, Abdullahi said Niger is at the receiving end of the efforts of the Zamfara government in ridding the state of bandits.

He said there should be a holistic approach in tackling the problem.

“Niger state is bordered by Kebbi, Zamfara and Kaduna. We all know Zamfara state was embroiled in this banditry. The effort made in that state is making life unbearable [in Niger],” he said.

“In my senatorial district, Makama local government is bordering Zamfara state. We should find a way of looking at this thing holistically.”

Thereafter, the senate called on the service chiefs to tighten security in Niger state.

The lawmakers also asked the federal government to provide relief materials to victims of banditry.