‘Declare state of emergency on insecurity’

Pally Iriase, Deputy Whip, House of Representatives, has called on the Federal Government to declare state of emergency on insecurity as killings, kidnappings and raping continue unabated across the county.

Iriase made the call on Sunday in Abuja while speaking with newsmen. He appealed to the government and security operatives to check the activities of the bandits killing, raping and kidnapping innocent people in Edo state.

The lawmaker, who refused to call the bandits Fulani herdsmen, said that residents of Owan East and West, Etsako and Akoko local government areas were under siege by the bandits.

He said that the bandits carried sophisticated weapons like AK47 and machine guns.

Iriase, who represents Owan East/West Federal Constituency, alleged that the military and police had their barracks in the areas where these `agents of death’ carry out their activities.

He contended that there may be some connections between Boko Haram insurgents dislodged from the North-East and the bandits going by the sophisticated weapons they carry.

He said that the police with regular weapons and vigilance group carrying locally made guns could not match the bandits with their sophisticated weapons. The lawmaker advised the military and other security agencies to collaborate to curtail the activities of the invaders.

He said: “I will support the call for state of emergency on security. “If state of emergency is declared nationwide, all these statements and threats will be taken care of.

“These bandits may well be the terrorist gangs dislodged from the North-East judging by the sophisticated weapons they carry and the way they are kidnapping and collecting ransom from victims.

“If their activities are not checked, what we are experiencing in the North-East may be transferred to South-south.” Asked if the bandits were not local people disguising as Fulani herdsmen, Iriase said, “these people are not local people.

“If they are, they will be carrying local weapons; but these people carry AK47 and machine guns and they are sharp shooters.” He urged the federal government to take urgent step to address the development.

He alleged that the ransom the bandits were collecting was being used to fund other camps to execute deadly attacks. Iriase described the quit notice issued by Arewa youths to Ibos living in the north as “the most irresponsible statement ever made by a group.’’