By Eteteonline
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago has urged citizens to take proactive measures to protect themselves from attacks, stating that his government will neither engage in negotiations with bandits or offer money to kidnappers. The governor made the statement while touring the local government districts of Rijau and Magama, which were recently the targets of brutal attacks by armed groups based in the Kontagora region. Instead of relying on discussions or ransom payments, he said, the deteriorating security situation calls for unified resistance.
“The state has reached a point where the people must stand up and defend themselves because ransom will only turn kidnapping into a thriving business,” Bago said.
“We will not negotiate with bandits. I will not pay ransom. The moment we start paying, they will open shop on our heads and continue kidnapping people.” He said the situation has reached a state of war that requires collective resistance.
“We are surrounded by enemies, but we will not give up. The constitution gives us the right to defend our lives and property, and we will do just that. There is no going back.”
The governor declared plans to enlist and train 10,000 people into the Joint Task Force (JTF) in order to support community-level security operations throughout the state, calling the frequent incursions and community relocation “embarrassing and unacceptable.”
The governor also announced a complete prohibition on all mining operations in Zone C of the state, which includes the local government areas of Magama, Kontagora, Rijau, Wushishi, Mariga, Borgu, Mashegu, and Agwara, in a statement released by his Special Adviser on Print Media, Aisha Wakaso. According to Bago, illicit mining has emerged as one of the main causes of instability in the area, allowing criminals to freely traverse forested areas while leaving locals open to assault.
“It is suspicious that miners can enter the forests freely, yet the bandits don’t touch them. I have now ordered the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, to arrest anyone caught engaging in mining activities,” he stated. Bago reiterated his resolve to bring peace back to Niger State and insisted that the wave of criminality endangering rural areas can only be stopped by a brave and united populace. The governor gave victims of recent attacks the assurance that his administration will help them, including financial assistance to those who lost their jobs, medical attention to those hurt, and recompense to the relatives of the deceased.
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