By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy to investigate the use of telecommunications networks and financial systems by bandits to facilitate ransom payments, and to work closely with law enforcement to block such channels of communication and financial transactions used by criminals.
This was sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Rep. Shehu Dalhatu, member representing Faskari/Kankara/Sabuwa Federal Constituency of Katsina State on Tuesday at plenary.
Rep. Dalhatu decried the deteriorating banditry acts to the point where bandits now openly provide bank account details for ransom payments to be made for kidnapped victims.
According to the lawmaker, this audacious act shows not only the impunity with which those criminals operate but also raised significant concerns about the security of the telecommunications and financial systems in the country, adding that evidence of such ransom demands was readily available, including on personal devices, further proving the gravity of the situation.
He asserted that in the past four months, there has not been a 48-hour period without a bandit attack in the Faskari/Kankara/Sabuwa federal constituency, even as he noted that last week Friday, armed bandits ambushed members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps, along the Yankara-Faskari road, killing six members, wounding two others, and seizing their weapons.
According to Dalhatu, just two days later, on Sunday the bandits targeted innocent people at Balan Dawa village, killing three and kidnapping some women while the violence escalated again on Monday, when bandits attacked the Funtua-Gusau road, killing one person and kidnapping an unspecified number of commuters.
He expressed concern that: “the situation has deteriorated to the point where bandits now openly provide bank account details for ransom payments to be made for kidnapped victims.
“Despite previous efforts by government agencies and the deployment of security personnel, banditry in these areas has persisted, signaling that current strategies are inadequate.
“The local communities have made brave attempts to protect themselves through initiatives such as the Vigilantes, but they are severely outmatched by the heavily armed bandits.”
Dalhatu called on security agencies to urgently intensify efforts towards rescuing all those affected by those criminals while the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Police Force should immediately reinforce security measures by deploying additional personnel to the Constituency for the protection of lives and property.
The House adopted the motion and referred it to the committees on Defence, Army, Police and National security for further legislative action.
The lawmakers also observed a minute silence in honour of those killed by the banditry acts and condoled relatives while it sympathised with all those affected.