The Senate has called on the Federal Government to urgently strengthen security operations and humanitarian interventions in Kebbi State following escalating bandit attacks that have claimed lives, displaced residents and disrupted livelihoods in affected communities.
The upper chamber made the call on Tuesday while considering a motion sponsored by Senator Adamu Aliero, who represents Kebbi South, on the deteriorating security situation in the state and the growing humanitarian consequences of armed attacks.
Aliero told the Senate that the influx of bandits from neighbouring states had intensified insecurity in Kebbi, leaving communities vulnerable to killings, forced displacement and widespread fear.
He urged security agencies to intensify coordinated operations to contain the armed groups, restore public confidence and prevent further attacks on rural communities.
Adopting the motion, the Senate called on the Federal Government to provide additional security personnel, operational logistics and adequate funding to strengthen efforts to protect lives and property across the affected areas.
The lawmakers specifically urged the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sunday Aneke; and Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to reinforce joint operations in collaboration with intelligence agencies.
The Senate also called for the deployment of additional personnel and equipment, alongside improved surveillance and intelligence gathering, to identify, track and neutralise armed groups responsible for the attacks.
It stressed the need for a comprehensive security response to halt further bloodshed, prevent additional displacement and enable residents to return safely to their ancestral communities.
Beyond the security dimension, the upper chamber directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to assess the immediate needs of displaced persons and provide essential relief materials.
The relief package, according to the Senate's resolution, should include food, potable water, temporary shelter, clothing, bedding, medical supplies and sanitation facilities to address the urgent needs of affected households.
The lawmakers further urged the Federal Government and the Kebbi State Government to establish a joint security and humanitarian response mechanism to coordinate emergency interventions and ensure that assistance reaches vulnerable communities.
The Senate maintained that military and law enforcement operations must be complemented by effective humanitarian measures to alleviate the suffering of displaced residents and prevent the crisis from worsening.
It also emphasised that restoring security should be followed by measures to facilitate the safe, voluntary and dignified return of displaced persons to their communities.
Such measures, the chamber said, should include the restoration of essential public services, rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure and support for the recovery of livelihoods disrupted by the attacks.
The Senate's intervention comes amid growing concerns over the impact of banditry on rural communities, particularly the loss of lives, destruction of livelihoods and displacement of residents forced to abandon their homes in search of safety.
The lawmakers stressed that coordinated action by federal and state authorities, security agencies and emergency management institutions was necessary to address both the immediate security threats and the humanitarian consequences of the crisis.
