Sunday Karimi, senator representing Kogi west, claims that kidnapping has become a daily occurrence in the state.
He spoke on Wednesday while contributing to a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Abdulfatai Buhari, senator representing Oyo north, on the recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Ogbomoso.
Karimi said kidnapping and banditry pose a serious threat to the country and should not be blamed solely on the federal government.
“Mr President, the issue of kidnapping and banditry is a big problem that is trying to bring down this nation, and when it happens, we tend to blame it on the federal government alone,” he said.
The lawmaker said bandits invaded Ayedun Bunu, a community in his senatorial district, in the early hours of Monday and abducted 28 residents.
“On Monday, at the early hours of Monday morning, these same bandits entered a community in my senatorial district, Ayedun Bunu, and they kidnapped about 28 people. In fact, it is a daily occurrence in my state, but we cannot talk much,” he said.
The senator called for legislative action on proposals for state police and forest guards.
“My point is, the federal government proposed the issue of state police and also forestry guard. We have not been able to put that into action in terms of bringing it into law,” he said.
Karimi said state governments should contribute more resources towards funding and equipping security agencies.
“But the enormous funding going into our state governments lately. State governments all over the country, they ought to be involved in funding and equipping our security forces, and allowing the local government to work,” the lawmaker ssid.
He said the inability of LGAs to function effectively has created ungoverned spaces across the country.
“Because there are so many ungoverned spaces all over the nation. Local government administrations are not allowed to work,” he said.
Karimi also advocated the deployment of drones by state governments to strengthen surveillance and security operations.
“If we have drones all over the nation funded by state governments, even if it is just surveillance drones, that is going to help a lot,” he added.
“Even state governments can provide attack drones. But we are leaving all this, and blaming everything on the federal government.”
