The Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, has warned the federal government that banditry has transformed into insurgency and that the hoodlums, who orchestrated the carnage had started to relocate from the regions to other parts of the country, hence, the need for drastic action to eliminate them.
He advised the federal government to adopt new security measures that would completely liquidate insurgents and bandits terrorising the country, particularly, the North West and North East zones, where his state falls.
Masari, who spoke when he received the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed at the Government House, Katsina, added that bandits are relocating to the fringes of the forest to unleash terror on innocent citizens.
He said: “From experiences of other countries, you need to liquidate banditry and insurgency completely. I said it before let me repeat it again, the issue of banditry in Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, part of Niger and Kaduna States has no religious problem and tribal.
“So, if you take whatever action nobody will complain to you on religious or tribal grounds. We are the same people same language, same culture and tradition. We have certainly became enemies of each other; the good ones on this part and the bad ones on the other part”.
He added: “In everything there is collateral damage, even if you want to clean your room completely in the process you will lose something that you like. So, in dealing with these people of the forest there may be some collateral damages but we need to take action”.
He, however, said North-west governors have reviewed the issues surrounding the failure of many efforts in order to curb banditry, lamenting that there are 150 bandits’ camps in adjoining forests of Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger States operating independently.
According to the governor, “Today, in these forests of Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna going down to Niger, there are over 150 different camps of bandits each one operating independently”.
Earlier, the Minister, Mohammed said the security measures adopted by the Masari-led government in combating banditry were yielding positive results.
He added that the efforts need to be trumpet in order to encourage security agencies and other stakeholders in the ongoing war against banditry and terrorism to do more in warding off the carnage.
The minister stated this in Katsina while in audience with Governor Masari and other top government officials to ascertain the security measures put in place by the governor in curbing insecurity.
Sharing this viewpoint, the House of Representatives, has also raised the alarm that bandits fleeing from military operations in Zamfara and Katsina States, had infiltrated and attacking other states in the zones, including Kano State.
This is as the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, has condemned those calling for dialogue with bandits, declaring that the criminals do not deserve human rights.
However, Masari, who spoke when receiving the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, at the Government House, Katsina, reiterated that bandits were relocating to the fringes of the forest to unleash terror on innocent citizens.
According to him, “From experiences of other countries, you need to liquidate banditry and insurgency completely. I said it before, let me repeat it again, the issue of banditry in Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, part of Niger and Kaduna States, has no religious problem and tribal.
“So, if you take whatever action, nobody will complaint to you on religious or tribal grounds.
We are the same people, same language, same culture and tradition. We have certainly become enemies of each other; the good ones on this part and the bad ones on the other part.
“In everything, there is collateral damage, even if you want to clean your room completely in the process, you will lose something that you like. So, in dealing with the people of the forest, there may be some collateral damages, but we need to take action”.
He pointed out that the North West governors had reviewed the issues surrounding the failure of many efforts in order to curb banditry, lamenting that there were 150 bandit camps in adjoining forests of Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger States, operating independently.
The governor maintained that, “today, in these forests of Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna right up to Niger, there are over 150 different camps of bandits, each one operating independently”.
Mohammed, who spoke earlier, said the security measures adopted by the Masari-led government in combating banditry were yielding positive results.
He added that the efforts needed to be ramped up and security agencies and other stakeholders encouraged and appreciated in the ongoing war against banditry and terrorism, to do more in warding off the carnage.
“We are not in any doubt that some of the measures you (Masari) embarked upon have started yielding fruits. However, it is unfortunate that the media is not giving same attention to the tune of events as it’s being given to the activities of the bandits. We believe that these efforts desired to be trumpeted.”
Also, on Tuesday, the House raised the alarm at plenary following the adoption of a motion by Hon. Haruna Dederi, on the need to take urgent measures to check frequent attacks by bandits on Rogo Local Government Area of Kano.
The lawmaker said Rogo and Karaye Local Government Areas shared borders with Katsina and Kaduna States, which for sometime have been bedeviled by the nefarious activities of armed bandits, kidnappers and cattle rustlers.
“As a result of the military operation against bandits in Zamfara and Katsina States, the bandits are now fleeing into other states, including Kano State,” Dederi said.
He lamented that in the last few weeks, bandits had attacked towns and villages in Rogo, including Jajaye, Zarewa, RuwanBago, Bari, Falgore, Dutsen-Bari and Hawan —Gwamna (Fulatan), where they kidnapped people, who were still mostly in their captivity and demanding several millions for their release.
Dederi, therefore, expressed worry that if measures were not immediately taken to stop the activities of bandits in Rogo Local Government Area and other border councils of Kano State, their nefarious activities could spread to other local places, thereby upsetting the relative peace being enjoyed in the state.
Consequently, the House urged the federal government to set up a well equipped Joint Security Taskforce with the mandate to operate along the border lines between Katsina, Kaduna and Kano States, to address the frequent attacks by armed bandits in Rogo and other affected border councils.
The House also resolved that a similar joint security taskforce be set up by the government in Abia and Kogi to arrest the security situations in both states, while at the same time, urged the federal government to step up efforts to consolidate the gains recorded in the military operation against armed banditry by expanding the operation in a coordinated and simultaneous manner that would cover all other affected states and prevent the movement of the bandits.
The Emir of Katsina, while speaking during an interactive media session on insecurity co-organised by the Katsina State government and the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, kicked against the payment of ransom to bandits and accused those who carry out the unwholesome act of hiding behind human rights to commit crime.
“Some of the bandits have settled in our cities. They have started buying lands and are now building houses in our communities. Bandits can never repent. Though we are in a democracy, but bandits don’t deserve to enjoy human rights that they are denying others,” the Emir said.
He lauded Masari’s decision to shut down telecommunication service in the state, ban the sale of petrol in jerry cans along border communities, close animal markets, ban the sale of fairly used motorcycles and close junction motor parks, saying the decision had improved security in the state.
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