Politicians within government corridors have been releasing strategic planning to bandits as informants in order to make money, Governor Abubakar Sani-Bello of Niger state has said.
Governor Sani-Bello stated this Tuesday when he commissioned 161 Special Vigilante Corps established to curb youth restiveness and street fighting in Minna.
“There are politicians and others in government corridors who give out information to these criminals. Even when we hold meetings, few moments later, the bandits will be saying the governor has said this and that. I cannot trust anybody anymore,” the governor declared.
He expressed concern that some people were eager to make money while children within ages three and 11years were in captivity.
“They said I should bring money so that they can bring the children and I asked them, ‘where will they find the children’,” the governor said.
The governor also decried media reportage which bandits got to know classified information about government actions, saying “you may think that the bandits are illiterates but they are very intelligent in processing information.”
Donating 10 operational vehicles and 20 motorcycles to the Special Vigilantes Corps, Governor Sani-Bello implored them to clear the miscreants that had disturbed residents of Minna for months.
He said unlike their counterparts in bandits-affected areas, the corps was not trained to engage in exchange of fire. “They are for now restricted to Minna by working with the police to identify and arrest the boys causing crisis in our streets, destroying property and injuring passers-by,” the governor said.
Presenting the special vigilantes, the state Commissioner of Police, Adamu Usman explained that the creation of the corps became necessary in order to keep peace in Minna while conventional security agencies fight bandits in other parts of the state.
He said the vigilantes had undergone two-week training and ready to work with police in curbing activities of street urchins in Minna.
The police boss assured that the vehicles and motorcycles donated by government would be judiciously used.
Godogodo community cries out
In a related development, the people of Godogodo community in Jema’a local government area of Kaduna state have expressed concern over the increasing security challenges bedevilling the area, and leading to loss of several lives and property.
They alleged that suspected herdsmen have killed many innocent people, including the head of vigilante group, Frank Zakiri, in Godogodo village.
Zakiri was known for leading other vigilantes in protecting his community and environs against invaders that killed and destroyed properties.
The increasing spate of killings in the area has caused fear among the people who could not sleep with their two eyes closed for fear of the unknown.
A source who craved anonymity explained that the Chief of Godogodo, Iliya Ajiya, received the killing of the head of the vigilante with great shock, assuring the villagers would continue to fight against invaders for the protection of their community.
He said as a community, they had resolved, irrespective of any differences, to continue to protect one another against what he called “enemies of progress especially during the rainy season when majority of the people who are peasant farmers will go out every day to farm for their survival.”
The chief called on government at all levels to ensure proactive measures were taken to checkmate the activities of criminal elements in the society in order to allow people go about their lawful activities for a peaceful and harmonious society.
Resident want additional troops
Meanwhile, a resident of Gwashi village in Bukkuyum local government area of Zamfara state, Yusha’u Mohammed Gwashi, has appealed to the federal government to urgently deploy additional 200 troops to their area to fight the bandits terrorising their area.
Gwashi made the plea Tuesday in a telephone interview with Blueprint in Gusau, the state capital.
He said the bandits, in their large numbers, besieged their area between Sunday and Monday with sophisticated weapons on their way to Birnin Gwari Forest, and killed three locals while many others scampered for their safety.
He expressed worry that the bandits could warn them not to their farms as they threatened to kill anyone who acted contrary to the order.
“The troops attached to our area are not up to one unit and the bandits use to come in their hundreds with heavy fire arms more than that of the troops, so we need more additional reinforcement of the troops to forestall insecurity challenges we are facing to bandits attacks on daily basis,” Gwashi further pleaded.
Gwashi further hinted that as a result of Banditry in their area, many women and their childrens have left the area in fear of the Bandits attack, calling on federal and Zamfara state governments to take urgent steps in tackling the trend.
Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle had last week, directed communities across the state to go on self-defence whenever bandits strike.
Further to this and other measures taken to halt banditry, the governor also suspended the Emir of Dansadau Alhaji Hussaini Umar and District Head of Nasarawa Mailayi Alhaji Bello Wakkala and the Emir of Zurmi,Alhaji Abubakar Atiku Muhammad for allegedly aiding and abetting the criminals in their jurisdictions.
Lawmaker pledges grazing field
In a related development, a lawmaker representing Zamfara North, Senator Sahabi Ya’u, has promised to construct grazing grounds for herders in his constituency to complement government efforts at tackling insecurity in the state.
Senator Ya’u, who made this known while speaking to journalists in Gusau Tuesday, said the project would be established on grazing routes in the state.
The senator blamed alleged injustice meted out to the herders for the security challenges in the state, which he noted began with cattle rustling before degenerating to banditry.
“I think this (project) is in line with what Governor Bello Matawalle is doing to provide `RUGA’ settlement for the herders.
“This year (2021), part of my constituency projects, I intend to provide grazing grounds for herders so that they can be contained in one place.
“After identifying the location, securing it, we are going to plant the grass that will be harvested into belts for use every season of the year,” he said.
Senator Ya’u said tackling insecurity is a collective responsibility, adding “at the National Assembly level, we are doing our best to address the insecurity in the country.
“The insecurity we are facing is very disturbing. We have realised that we are in danger; it requires collaborative effort to address it. Everyone’s support and contribution is needed not only state or federal government.”