AfriPulse
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State has ruled out any form of negotiation or ransom payment to bandits, insisting that such actions would only embolden the criminals and worsen insecurity across the state.
Bago made the declaration during a condolence visit to Rijau and Magama local government areas, where several communities were recently attacked by armed bandits.
In a statement issued in Minna by his Special Adviser on Print Media, Aisha Wakaso, the governor said Niger State had reached a point where citizens must take responsibility for their safety and resist banditry collectively.
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“We will not negotiate with bandits. I will not pay ransom. The moment we start paying, they will open shop on our heads and keep kidnapping people,” Bago said.
“We are surrounded by enemies, but we will not give up. The constitution gives us the right to defend our lives and property, and we will do just that. There is no going back.”
Describing the spate of attacks as a “state of war,” the governor said it was both a constitutional and moral obligation to protect lives and property, adding that he would go to any length necessary to safeguard the people.
Bago expressed dismay that some communities had been overrun by criminals, forcing residents to flee their homes and live as internally displaced persons.
To strengthen security, the governor announced plans to recruit and train 10,000 members into the state’s Joint Task Force (JTF), with recruitment expected to begin immediately.
He also declared a total ban on mining activities across Zone C of the state—which comprises Magama, Kontagora, Rijau, Wushishi, Mariga, Borgu, Mashegu, and Agwara local government areas—citing illegal mining as a major driver of insecurity.
“It is suspicious that miners can enter the forests freely, yet the bandits don’t touch them,” he said, directing the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to arrest anyone caught engaging in mining in the affected areas.
Bago further assured victims of the latest attacks of government support, promising compensation for families of those killed, medical care for the injured, and assistance for residents who lost their livelihoods.
Source: DailyTrust | Read the Full Story…
