The Senate of Nigeria on Thursday raised the alarm that national parks across the country have become safe havens for bandits, kidnappers and cattle rustlers.
The Herald gathered that the lawmakers claimed that the criminals come out to attack and return back there for safety.
The upper chamber, however, called on National Park Service to look into the nation’s security architecture in line with the resolution of the 12th National Council on Environment.
The legislator also urged relevant security agencies in the country to be involved in park protection and surveillance, training in fire arms and ballistics, surveillance and intelligence information gathering for park rangers.
The resolutions were sequel to a motion the need to mainstream the National Parks Service into the Nigeria security architecture, sponsored by Senator Sadiq Suleiman Umar (Kwara North) and co-sponsored by ten others.
Senator Umar, in his lead debate, had noted that the National Park Service had no sufficient resources, personnel and training to cope with the current security challenges.
Senator Uba Sani (Kaduna Central) said the country was losing revenue from national parks because the activities of bandits and kidnappers prevented people from going there.
Earlier, The Herald reported that United States Government has been asked by Femi Gbajabimila to help Nigeria defeat Boko Haram insurgents and other security challenges in the country.
Gbajabimila, the speaker of the House of Representatives, made the plea when he met the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Leonard, at a function in Abuja on Tuesday.
The Speaker explained that Nigerians are afraid about the incessant insecurity challenges and are looking up to the US for assistance.
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