THE Senate yesterday raised the alarm that terrorists from Mali and Burkina Faso, who operate under the aegis of Lakurawa, have invaded Kaduna state in the north-west and Niger State in the north-central, saying the trend now has an international dimension.
News Point Nigeria reports that the alarm came barely days after the House of Representatives, Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, and other northern leaders and traditional rulers raised a similar alarm.
Consequently, the Senate asked the military to set up early warning mechanisms to forestall further incursions as well as maintain presence and vigilance in the affected communities to halt the activities of the terror group from spreading further across the region.
It, however, commended the military for their prompt response to insurgence in the north and other parts of the country.
The Upper Chamber also directed the military to work with the communities and other security agencies and tasked the federal government to send an assessment team to the affected areas to estimate the extent of damages done by the terrorists and determine the immediate relief needs of affected families.
Recall that the terrorists raided some communities in Kebbi State about two weeks ago, killing over 17 persons and setting houses on fire.
The Senate observed a one-minute silence in honour of the deceased community members killed in the wake of the terrorist incursion.
Resolutions of the Senate were sequel to a motion, titled “Urgent need for the federal government to take stringent measures to stop the infiltration of a group of violent terrorists, known as Lakurawa, from entrenching themselves in some northwest states of Sokoto and Kebbi.
It was sponsored by former Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, PDP, Kebbi North, and co- sponsored by Senators Adamu Aliero, PDP, Kebbi Central, and Garba Musa Maidoki, PDP, Kebbi South.
In his presentation, Senator Abdullahi said: “The Senate is aware that a group of terrorists from neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali, known as Lakurawa, has infiltrated the country through the Nigeria- Niger border, at Illela, Tangaza and Silame Local Government Areas of Sokoto and are from there, attacking communities in Augie and Arewa LGAs in Kebbi State.
“Recall that this violent gang of terrorists had raided and dispossessed these communities, prior to the large-scale invasion of Mera, a village in Augie Local Government, on November 8, 2024, killing more than 20 people and fleeing with their livestock, amounting to hundreds of millions of naira.
“Senate is aware that Kebbi State government promptly responded by sending a delegation with relief materials to the affected villages and assistance to the families of the deceased.
“Aware that Senator Yahaya A. Abdullahi (Kebbi North) and Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi North Central) and Senator Garba Musa Maidoki (Kebbi South), along with some members of the House of Representatives from Kebbi State, have been to those areas, to commiserate with victims of the attacks on behalf of the National Assembly”.