Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State has vowed not to negotiate with armed bandits or pay ransom for kidnapped victims, but encouraged communities to adopt self-defense measures to safeguard their lives and properties.
Governor Bago said he has resolved to treat armed bandits in line with what they represent, and by doing so, paying ransom is out of the way as doing that will only embolden the criminals and worsen the security situation.
The Governor made the declaration when he paid a condolence visit to the people of Rijau and Magama Local Government Areas, whose communities were recently attacked by armed bandits in Kontagora.
“What is happening in this state has reached a point where the people must stand up and defend themselves, because ransom payments would only turn kidnapping into a thriving business”.
Bago who described the unfolding security situation as a state of war that required collective efforts of every Nigerlite said, “I will not negotiate with the bandits. I will not pay ransom. The moment we start paying, they will open shop on our heads and keep kidnapping people”.
Though all that is required is collective resistance, Umar Bago said it is a constitutional duty for the lives and properties of the people to be protected, and expressed the resolve of his administration to go all out to explore constitutional options to protect law-abiding citizens.
“We are surrounded by enemies, but we will not give up. The constitution gives us the right to defend our lives and properties, and we will do just that. There is no going back.”
Governor Bago noted that it is embarrassing and unacceptable that communities could be invaded, their residents turned into Internally Displaced Persons, and therefore announced plans to immediately commence recruitment and training of 10,000 young men and women into the Joint Task Force to help end the security siege by the invaders.
Meanwhile, the Governor has declared a total ban on all forms of mining activities in the entire Niger-North Senatorial district (zone C) covering eight local government areas: Mariga, Rijau, Magama, Kontagora, Wushishi, Borgu, Mashegu, and Agwara.
Ending illegal mining, according to him, has become inevitable since it has been discovered that mining activities have become one of the major drivers of insecurity therein.
While miners do access forest zones unharmed, Governor Bago expressed concerns that innocent people whose only offense is that they are host to most of the mining pits suffer repeated attacks, deprivation, and other forms of hostilities.
Bago, who directed security agencies to henceforth arrest anyone caught engaging in mining activities in the affected areas, said, “It is suspicious that miners can enter the forests freely, yet the bandits don’t touch them”.
While promising victims of recent attacks in the zone of the administration’s support, he assured that he will compensate the families of those killed, pay for the medical treatment for the injured, and also assist those who lost their sources of livelihood.
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