The Senate has called for urgent humanitarian assistance for residents displaced by bandit attacks in Kebbi State, urging the Federal Government to mobilise emergency relief materials and intensify security operations to protect vulnerable communities.
The upper chamber specifically directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide food, potable water, temporary shelter, clothing, medical supplies and other essential materials to victims forced to flee their homes.
The resolutions followed a motion moved by Senator Adamu Aliero and seconded by Senator Francis Fadahunsi, over the escalating banditry in parts of the country and its devastating consequences for communities in Kebbi State.
The lawmakers expressed concern that bandits fleeing intensified military operations in neighbouring states had moved into Kebbi, unleashing attacks that resulted in killings, displacement and the destruction of residents’ livelihoods.
To address the humanitarian crisis, the Senate urged NEMA to immediately assess the needs of displaced persons and ensure that relief materials reach affected households without delay.
It also called for a coordinated response involving the Federal Government and the Kebbi State Government to prevent duplication of relief efforts and ensure that no displaced household is left without assistance.
Beyond emergency relief, the Senate urged the Federal Government to provide security agencies with adequate personnel, operational equipment, logistics and funding to protect threatened communities and neutralise the armed groups.
It specifically called on the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff and Inspector-General of Police, working with other security and intelligence agencies, to strengthen joint operations, surveillance and intelligence gathering.
The chamber further demanded a thorough investigation into the killings, including the reported murder of three employees of Hitech and other victims, urging security agencies to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.
The Senate also stressed the need to restore normalcy in affected communities to enable displaced residents to return home safely and voluntarily.
It urged the two levels of government to rehabilitate damaged facilities, restore essential services and support residents whose farming and businesses had been disrupted by the attacks.
The lawmakers observed a one-minute silence in honour of those killed and extended their condolences to the bereaved families and affected communities.
