Niger State House of Assembly has expressed displeasure over what it described as the return of youth restiveness in Minna the state capital and its environs and thereby called for a decisive action against the perpetrators.
The Speaker of the state House of Assembly Rt Hon Abdulmalik Sarkindaji stated this on Wednesday when he addressed the house at the plenary after its resumption from one month recess for the Easter and the Eid- El- Fitri Sallah celebrations.
Rt. Hon. Sarkindaji said the return of youth restiveness in the state, especially the state capital and its environs in Maitumbi community in Bosso LGA of the state was capable of eroding all the gains so far recorded by the present administration in the area of security and the maintenance of law and order.
Although the speaker commended the state Governor, Hon. Mohammed Umaru Bago-led administration in the state and the various security agencies for the prompt actions taken so far to tame the situation.
He expressed the need for decisive action against the perpetrators and their sponsors and specifically pointed out that the action of these miscreants could discourage the legion of investors that are already besieging the state due to the friendly atmosphere provided by the present administration.
He disclosed that the law against thuggery in the state must be immediately revisited by the state assembly to empower the security agencies to deal more decisively against the perpetrators.
“As the representatives of people, we cannot fold our hands and allow this present youth restiveness to go out of hand. We will immediately revisit the law against all forms of thuggery in the state to empower the security agencies to deal with the situation,” he said.
The house therefore resolved to summon all the heads of security agencies and other relevant stakeholders in the state to meet with the assembly next Monday to brief the members on the current situation and the possible way forward.
Consequently a motion on matter of urgent public importance brought by the Chairman House Committee on Security and Intelligence, Hon. Joseph Haruna Duza representing Munya Constituency of the state, calling on the government to address the menace of frequent youth restiveness in the state was stepped down until all the heads of security agencies appeared before it.
It could be recalled that youths in some parts of Minna, the state capital, and Maitumbi community in Bosso LGA went on rampage and seized some major roads and unleashed terror on innocent residents on Sallah day.
It would however be recalled that no fewer than three persons were reportedly killed and several injured while property estimated at hundreds of thousands of naira were either looted or destroyed by the rampaging youths when the crisis lasted.
However worried by this development, the state Governor Hon. Mohammed Umaru Bago ordered security agents to shoot at sight any miscreants found to be disturbing the peace of the state, saying that his administration has zero tolerance for any form of violence or criminal activities in the state.