Niger Gov Bago raises alarm over increased activities of bandits

Governor Muhammed Bago of Niger State has raised an alarm over the latest insurge of bandits and other criminal elements into the state which he said has forced farmers and thousands of residents to flee from their homes and communities.

Bago who lamented the nefarious activities of bandits, cattle rustlers and illegal miners among other criminalities in the state while hosting the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, on Wednesday in Minna, said farmers are worst hit as many of them have abandoned their farm lands due to fear of being attacked.

The governor also decried what he called the nefarious activities of illegal miners in the state and promised to continue to work on how to better equip the security agencies in the state.

Read also: Bandits dislodged from Katsina, Zamfara, relocating to Niger State —Senator

“Niger State is being referred to as food basket of the country largely due to our largest land mass in the country which is also suitable for agriculture and being made use by the government and large percentage of the people,” Bago said while addressing the NSCDC boss.

“But the growing security concern means that our people are constantly at the mercy of bandits and other criminal elements.

Audi who said he was in the state to access the security situation as well as enhance the working relationship of the NSCDC and other security agencies, promised to work with the state in order to rid it of all the criminal elements that have been terrorising it lately.

“We came around to see for ourselves, a kind of on-the-spot assessment of the security situation in Niger State and to familiarize with you.

“We hope to work on our synergy with other security agencies in the state and create better security atmosphere for people of Niger State,” Audi promised.

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