Our security structure has collapsed, says Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki says the country’s security structure has collapsed.

Saraki said this on Wednesday after Tijjani Kaura, senator representing Zamfara north, sponsored a motion on the killings and arson that took place in Shinkafi local government area of Zamfara.

The senate president said there is a need to redesign the country’s economic structure.

He said the legislature has shown that it is committed to all issues not just security.

“Clearly, all the messages that are coming is that there is definitely a collapse of what is either called security infrastructure or national security, with this level of impunity,” Saraki said.

“People all over now illegally carry arms around the whole place. The fact that in the past, many committees had been set up to look at the reformation of the police but as of today, no action has been taken.

“Issues were raised on whether there is the need for what is called state police or community police but the big point is that it is for us to redesign the structure and based on that decide on what the solution is, not the solution before the design.

“Of course, the issue of funding of our security agencies is there too. And we have shown here many times how committed we are and our national approach to major government issues. We must be able to define exactly what we want to do in taking this problem head-on.”

While moving the motion earlier, Kaura noted that 23 died after an attack was carried out on Mallamawa and Tungar kahau villages.

He said many houses were also burnt and property worth millions of naira destroyed.

“Similarly, four villages, namely; Maikamarimi, Gidan Anna, Mallamawa and Tungar Kahau were burnt to ashes including all their farm produce worth about N385, 000, 000,” he said.

“Worried that the military operation Harbin Kunama that was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari to flush out the bandits is still in place and such attacks are happening unabated.”

The senate resolved to set up an ad hoc committee on country’s security situation.

Source: The Cable