More villager volunteers are coming out to support security agencies in the ongoing battle against bandits in parts of Niger state. AIDELOJE OJO reports.
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger state stood few steps away in front of columns of hunters and vigilantes on parade at the Government House Minna last week Monday in what looks like inspection of guards. The vigilantes stood fixed to the ground unblown by the breeze of uncertainty regarding the imminent battle against bandits who have recently occupied parts of the state.
The governor raised his voice and asked, “Who is ready, are we ready?” In response, the vigilantes shouted, “Yes, we are ready.” Bello said they would be working with the police and other security agencies in the battle against bandits in their respective communities. He then presented 120 motorcycles and 12 vehicles to the vigilantes for logistics, adding that more would follow.
Blueprint learnt that the vigilantes are expected to provide useful intelligence information in the war against bandits within their localities. According to the governor, “You are to support and cooperate with security agencies and work in accordance with the law for maximum results.” He said that the involvement of vigilantes was in line with community policing concept by the Nigeria Police Force. It was gathered that the vigilantes would be deployed to four local government areas of Shiroro, Rafi, Mariga and Munya considered to be most affected by the bandits.
Legality or otherwise of the group
The first question people are likely to ask about the action of the governor in engaging the services of vigilantes in the security architecture of the state is on its legality. However, not a few people are aware that vigilantes have been in operation in the state since 2012. Checks revealed that the state House of Assembly enacted the act establishing vigilantes in the state in 2012 and published in government gazette same year. The act, it was learnt, also provided for state commandant while the 25 local governments were entitled to organise vigilantes to complement the police. It was learnt that the operations of vigilantes have been very effective in parts of the state especially in curtailing activities of robbery gangs and other criminals within the communities. Their presence is also prominently seen in lonely interior roads not easily reached by conventional police in the state. It is therefore believed that deployment to assist security agencies in combating bandits is just an added plus. Apparently to buttress this point, a resident of Alawa community who want to be simply identified as Aliyu told Blueprint that vigilantes in his area have been assisting the war against the bandits even before now.
“Some of our vigilantes have already joined in the battle to rid our areas of kidnappers, rustlers and other criminal elements. We are ready to fight the bandits; let me tell you, some of our boys in the vigilantes have made supreme sacrifice with their lives. Government is only encouraging us now to do more in saving our communities. We would listen and hear his call to serve the state and make it secure.”
Sustained combat operations
Residents of Minna, the Niger state capital have in recent days played host to fighter jets flying at low altitude with children coming out of their doors to identify with them. The kids do engage in arguments on who owns the plane. While some swear that they saw police colour on a plane that had just flown above their roofs, others claimed that the colour was that of the military. However, what the kids do not know is that the planes they so much admire are either coming from or going on a mission in the forest occupied by bandits. Blueprint learnt that the Air Force has sustained air strikes on locations of the bandits while ground operations by the military and the police have been yielding successful results. Speaking with journalist on Monday at the Government House, Governor Bello said the state government would sustain the combat operations against the bandits.
“There are four military and police operations going on in parts of the state to clear the bandits and lots of successes have been recorded. I will not want to divulge sensitive information at this point in time but suffice it to say that we are re-strategising in fighting the bandits.”
The governor is also happy with President Muhammadu Buhari on the order for the air raids on the bandits. He said, “As you are aware, the president directed the Air Force to carry out sustained air raids on the bandits. I am happy to inform you that the Air Force has deployed the best of equipment in the battle against the bandits in Niger.”
Government efforts and challenges
Available records indicate that the administration of Governor Bello has not been sleeping over the attacks by bandits. This is evident in its collaborative efforts with security agencies to restore peace to affected areas. The governor throw more light on government efforts at curtailing the activities of the hoodlums when he spoke with journalists saying, “The state government has been unrelenting in providing logistic support to security agencies including the provision of vehicles, motorcycles and other logistics to assist in decimating the activities of these hoodlums in the state.
“The state government established blocking forces in Zazaga, Duma, Yero and supporting task force that has been put in place since 2016. Recently, it also supported the IGP Special Squad and others in combating crime in the trouble areas”.
He said despite having all these in place, there were still challenges to overcome, adding that the government is strategising to increase the capacity of combat forces and deployment of ICT solutions.
Locals as saboteurs
It is hard to believe that some people could stoop so low to benefit from the anguish of their neighbours for whatever benefit. However, for the villagers in communities affected by banditry, there are some of their kinsmen who would not look back to betray trust of brotherhood bestowed on them. Governor Bello did not hesitate at a press briefing on Monday to inform the people that some villagers have been playing the role of informants to the bandits by exposing security combat operational plans. He explained that this has been hampering some operations and endangering the lives of security personnel. “It is sad to note that the bandits have informants among us. In some cases, the informants tell the bandits the plan of the security agencies thereby putting lives of our personnel in danger. I do not understand how people would delight in the suffering of their neighbours. We should all join hands together to fight the bandits and win the war.”
Blueprint learnt that the recent killing of young military officer and other soldiers in part of the state was due to the activities of the informants who alerted the bandits to ambush the operational team on rescue mission.
Swollen IDP camps and palliative measures
Investigation shows that over 2,000 villagers have been forced to abandon their homes for refugee camps in a bid to escape the onslaught of bandits. Some are reported to be in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp quickly put together at a primary school in Kuta town of Shiroro local government of the state while others are in Rafi Local Government. Blueprint learnt that the deputy governor, Ahmed Ketso, recently visited the IDPs during which he assured of government determination to provide succor to them. It was gathered that the government through the Niger State Emergency Agency has provided food items and other basic necessities for the displaced persons.
Speaking on this, Governor Bello expressed concern over the plight of the people adding that his administration was working on how to facilitate early return of the people to their villages. He noted that the government was also concerned about the health condition in the camp while working assiduously to prevent outbreak of epidemics.
According to Bello, most of those at the camps come from villages not affected by attacks but are afraid that the bandits might attack them soon. He said, “We want them to return to their homes in the next two weeks or so that they can go about their normal lives. We would provide palliative measures to cushion the hardship they are going through now.”
It is the hope of the people that government efforts at flushing out the bandits from the state would truly be fruitful to enable villagers who are mostly farmers harvest their farm produce.
