House of Reps joins senate in calling on Buhari to officially designate bandits as terrorists

MEMBERS of Nigeria's House of Representatives have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to designate the bandits terrorising large swathes of Nigeria as terrorists so they can be prosecuted under the Terrorism Prevention Act.

Of late, northwest Nigeria in particular has been plagued by bandits who go on killing sprees, attacks villages with abandon and abduct innocent people for ransom. All government efforts to contain the criminals have proved abortive as they operate with total impunity, forcing several governors to try and negotiate a truce with them.

With the bandits becoming more daring by the day, however, alarm bells are starting to ring and earlier this week, Nigeria's senate called on President Buhari to declare them terrorists. Today, the House of Representatives now adding its voice to this call, after a motion to that effect was moved by Hon Babajimi Benson representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency in Lagos State.

With this call, both arms of the National Assembly have now asked that bandits be designated as terrorists. According to Hon Benson, the move will ensure that both the bandits and their sponsors will be prosecuted under the Terrorism Prevention Act.

Hon Benson said: “Such declaration to be done through a proscription order can be done pursuant to section 2 of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2011 (As Amended). Such an order will officially bring the activities of bandits and their sponsors within the purvey of the terrorism prevention act and any person associated with such groups can then be prosecuted and sentenced to penalties in the act.”

So far, Nigeria' federal government has refused to tag the bandits as terrorists despite repeated calls from several Nigerians to do so. On the other hand, controversial Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, who visited the bandits in the forest, has called for amnesty for the bandits, so they can be rehabilitated into society.