The Niger state government has reached a peace accord with bandits operating in parts of the state.
The state has thus granted amnesty to 13 bandits arrested by security agents along Kontonkoro axis in Magama local government area of the state.
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello stated this at the weekend while delivering a keynote address at the 2nd General Abdulsalami Abubakar Foundation annual peace lecture held in Minna.
He said: “In order to ensure peace in the state, the government engaged the bandits operating in parts of the state in dialogue and we have reached a peace path. They made their demands and reached agreements, part of which is to release some of those arrested. This, we have done and we granted amnesty to those who have turned in their weapons in pursuit of peace”.
While asking the repentant and released bandits to stand up for recognition, Governor Bello confirmed that since reaching the peace deal last month, cases of armed banditry and kidnapping had drastically reduced from that part of the state.
He said: “After listening to grievances from the former bandits, it became imperative for the state government to strike the peace agreement in the interest of peace and peaceful coexistence in the state and country”.
The governor stated that some of the former bandits had since taken to various trades and other useful ventures, adding that most of them were already cooperating and helping security agencies to identify and isolate those unrepentant ones.
He said the state government will soon reach peace deals with other bandits operating from Pandogari, Allawa and Erena axes following the success of the present deal.
Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, while fielding questions from newsmen, said the state government had put in place potent measures aimed at rehabilitating the repentant bandits.
The SSG appealed to security agencies and other stakeholders in the state to compliment the efforts of the present administration in the same direction
