A member of the House of Representatives, Aminu Jaji, has lamented the worsening security situation in Zamfara State, saying things have degenerated to a point where babies in captivity were fed to dogs owned by the insurgents.
Jaji, a member of the All Progressives Congress, also dismissed calls for the engagement of mercenaries to assist the military in the fight against insecurity.
The lawmaker who represents Kaura-Namoda/Birnin Magaji Federal Constituency, Zamfara State, stated this on Wednesday while addressing journalists at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
He also kicked against the declaration of a state of emergency in the state, noting that the nation’s military forces can secure the nation if they were well-equipped and motivated.
Narrating his people’s ordeal, the lawmaker said, “A pregnant woman was abducted. She gave birth to a set of twins in captivity. Then the leader of the bandits took the twins and threw them at his dog. The dogs ate them up, one after the other.
“This is something that we need to rise to the occasion. We need to speak to ourselves. Something needs to be done.”
He advocated the use of technology in the fight against insecurity, ruling out the mercenary option, saying, “I don’t believe that in Nigeria, we need mercenaries to prosecute the war against terrorists.
“Our gallant soldiers have the capacity to secure the country. But the only thing that we need to do as a country is to step up a little bit and be more digitalised in the way we operate.
“Honestly, I don’t subscribe to the idea of hiring mercenaries. We must make sure the resources given to our security agents by the Federal Government are satisfactory.
“But let’s ensure the monitoring and the efficacy of how they discharge their duty, and then, how they can continue to be supported in terms of their welfare. If they are being motivated in terms of their welfare and so many other things, they can step up to fight these people.”
In an emotionally-laden voice, Jaji struggled to paint a gory picture of the tragedy daily unleashed on a hapless people by armed insurgents.
“In my constituency alone, over 200 people have been kidnapped by bandits. Two weeks ago, 60 people were abducted in Banga. 10 of them were later killed because the community could not raise the N30m ransom demanded by the abductors.
“As we were grieving, another 25 were taken from Gabake. Just yesterday, fresh attacks occurred in Kungurki,” he said
He noted that bandits have taken over a substantial part of his constituency, killing and maiming innocent victims while also establishing themselves as de facto authority over the locals.
He called for an overhaul of the country’s security architecture, expressing concern that those close to President Bola Tinubu may not be providing him with an accurate account of the deteriorating conditions in the North-West region.
