For the past two years, Niger state has had its share of atrocities of armed bandits that have led to loss of lives and destruction of properties worth billions of naira, particularly in communities adjoining Zamfara and Kaduna states.
The activities of the criminals have affected communities in six local government areas of the state, namely, Muya, Shiroro, Rafi, Mariga, Paikoro, Mashegu and Lapai. The worst hit communities are Alawa, Zumba, Shiroro, Kukoki, Gurmana in Shiroro local government area and Kukoki, and Kagara in Rafi local government area.
The state government, under the pragmatic leadership of Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has left nothing unturned in containing the activities of these criminal elements.
Long before bandits began to infiltrate Niger state, in his proactive leadership style, in April 2017 Governor Sani Bello constituted a six-man committee chaired by former Governor of Katsina state, Yohana Madaki, during a meeting with critical stakeholders compromising former governors and deputy governors, ministers and retired senior military officers from the state, to proffer lasting solution to farmers/herders clashes and work out measures to protect lives and property in the state. Although farmers/herders clashes had been a long existing security problem in all states in the North central geo-political zone, the governor believes in the need for proactive measures to make Niger state a model for others to emulate.
Few weeks before that, the governor had a meeting with traditional and religious leaders where he emphasised the need for collective security and extra-vigilance from all stakeholders to address the security situation in the state. He told the community leaders that security agencies cannot handle security challenges in the country alone, hence the need for collaboration with traditional and religious leaders, as well as community participation in addressing the challenges. Governor Sani Bello then charged community leaders, especially those bordering Zamfara and Kaduna states where military operations were ongoing at that time, to be extra-vigilant and report suspicious persons lurking around their villages. However, through the large expanse forest that stretches Niger and Zamfara and Kaduna states, the bandits later infiltrated these communities and their evil activities became intense two years ago.
Governor Sani Bello had vowed to leave the state better than he met it, hence left no stone unturned to reverse the banditry situation. He sought the help of President Muhammadu Buhari to extend military operations to Niger state to contain the bandits. Few days later Mr President granted the governor’s request and ordered deployment of air assets to troubled areas. The governor also paid a courtesy visit to the chief of army staff, chief of air staff, inspector general of police and commandant of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, to solicit their support.
Governor Bello went further to purchase and distribute 200 vehicles to enhance operations of security agencies in the state. He also presented 300 motorcycles and 20 Hilux vehicles to the vigilante group in the affected local government areas to enhance their efficiency in order to complement the efforts of the military and security agencies to deal with the security situation.
To enable the populace to have direct access to pass credible information about movement of bandits, as well as ensure quick response to distress calls by security agencies, the governor established a security response call centre in the state. The centre is fully equipped and manned by personnel drawn from all the security agencies who work 24 hours. These efforts have yielded positive results, as banditry had been curtailed by the gallant men of the Nigerian military, police and other security agencies, and relative peace is fast returning to many of the affected communities.
But apart from finding solutions through kinetic approach, Governor Sani Bello also champions non-kinetic solutions. Thus, he implemented the resolution of the 19 Northern Governors Peace Summit in Zamfara state, by engaging the bandits in dialogue, even though he was emphatic that it shouldn’t be mistaken as a sign of weakness by the criminals. In demonstration of his commitment to the peace deal he released 13 bandits that had been in custody in Minna during the World Peace Day on 21st September. The result of this was felt two weeks later when 36 bandits voluntarily denounced banditry and surrendered their weapons and expressed their readiness for rehabilitation and integration into society.
Despite the success of the peace deal, the kinetic operations have been intensified through the recent deployment of drones by the Nigeria Air Force to Zamfara state to tackle banditry in the North-west and Niger state. And it is the hope of Governor Sani Bello that in the shortest possible time the challenges of banditry will be a thing of the past in Niger state and the country at large.
Mohammed writes from Mai Tumbi, Minna, Niger state.
