Niger Assembly knocks Gov. Bello, security agencies over high crime rate

From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

Governor Abybakar Sani Bello of Niger State has been summoned to appear before members of the Niger State House of Assembly on Tuesday to explain the reasons why the government is doing nothing to address the incessant bandits’ attacks in the state.
The lawmakers yesterday in plenary, expressed displeasure that every day from November 2019 to date, there have been bandits and gunmen attacks in several communities of the state while the government is seen not to be doing anything about the insecurity situations.
The legislators stated that the government is only paying lip service to fighting insecurity in the state and the government is not doing anything about it.
They further invited the state Commissioner of Police and asked him to redeploy all Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in the security affected areas as they are not doing enough to combat the insecurity in the affected areas.
The legislators were responding to a motion by the member representing Rafi Constituency, Honorable Abdullahi Magani who called on the executive arm of government to find a lasting solution to banditry attacks in his constituency.
According to him, the attacks are getting out of hand and the lives of the people are at risk urging the House of Assembly to impress on the federal and state government to intervene in bringing lasting solutions against banditry attacks in the state.
The member representing Gurara Constituency, Honorable Binta Mamman berated the government for not being sincere in its response to combating insecurity in the state stressing that if the issue is addressed, it would overwhelm everyone in the state.
She wondered why the government would spend a lot of money on combating COVID-19 and pay less attention to security.
“I do not know why the government is spending a lot of money on COVID-19 and we are not taking this security issue seriously, I can’t understand.”
Contributing member representing Bosso Constituency, Honorable Malik Madaki Bosso said that it is the responsibility of any reasonable government to protect the lives of the people stating that, “but this is not what is happening in Niger state.”
He added that the government is not serious about fighting the bandits, insisted that the Governor should appear before the house to explain to the legislators, who are the representatives of the people, on what have been done in combating these bandits and ending the incessant attacks.
“The Governor should appear and tell Nigerlites because the people need to know what the government is doing regarding this. If that is not enough, I am ready to lead a protest to the government house so that the Governor will know that we are worried and tired of these attacks and his inactions. The Government is not serious about fighting banditry.”
The member representing Agwara Constituency, Bello Ahmed Agwara said that it is high time the members take drastic measure as representatives of the people and ask the Governor to come forward and explain to the people what the government is doing.
The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Honorable Abdullahi Bawa Wuse while moving the resolutions, however, stepped down the motion summoning the Governor and opted to move a motion that the Governor should address the state in a broadcast to explain to the people the steps it is taking to address the insecurity.
The Speaker rather summoned the Commissioner of Police CP Adamu Usman and other security agencies in the state to appear before the plenary while directing the Commissioner of Police to transfer all Divisional Police officers (DPO) in the security affected areas to other places.