The House of Representatives on Wednesday called on the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai to urgently and without further delay establish a battalion of the Nigerian Army at the Southern border of the Ahmadu Bello University to help forestall incursions into the campus from that end, by bandits and other miscreants.
The Green Chamber also called on the Federal Government to urgently and without further delay erect a secure wall round the campuses of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria as has been done for the University of Maiduguri and the Gwagwalada campuses of the University of Abuja in order to forestall incursions.
Similarly, the House called on the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to urgently and without further delay establish units of its mobile police personnel at the institution (ABU) particularly at the Phase 2 segment of its Samaru campus to ensure security of lives and property at all times;
The resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion under urgent national importance by Rep. Garba Datti Muhammad, in conjunction with Reps. Tajudeen Abbas, Shehu Balarabe, Muktar Shehu Ladan and Ibrahim Hamza – passed on the floor at plenary.
Rep. Datti while moving the motion with the title: “Urgent need to address the security threats posed by the phenomenon of banditry (particularly kidnapping and abduction) to the campuses of The Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and other Tertiary Institutions across the nation,” recalled that the state of insecurity in Nigeria has been a matter of grave concern to all well-meaning patriots for several years.
He further recalls “that recently, the state of insecurity in Kaduna State has degenerated to alarming levels in spite of the well-meaning efforts of Government to put an end to it and that this insecurity has come in the form of armed banditry;
“Equally recall the activities of these armed bandits, who have now embarked on a spate of kidnappings and abductions of the Ahmadu Bello University staff and students and other members of the University’s community, particularly at its Samaru Campus but also outside their campuses and the fact that these dangerous activities have reached perilous levels;
“Distressed that on the 17th day of November, 2020, nine (9) students of the university were kidnapped along Kaduna-Abuja Road while the bandits sent a ransom demand of N270million for the release of the students;
“Further distressed that only on Monday 23rd November, 2020 at about 12.50 am, armed bandits invaded the house of another staff, Professor Bakari Girei and abducted him, his wife and daughter and, only after an exchange of fire with the Police Intelligence Response Team did the bandits release the wife and daughter while they escaped with the Professor.”