Gov: Bandits Moving into Niger North Hinterlands

By Laleye Dipo

Niger state Governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has cried out that bandits who are being dislodged from some communities in the Niger East Senatorial zone of the state are now moving into the hinterlands of the Niger North Senatorial zone to carryout their deadly activities.

The Governor raised the alarm after attending the burial of Bashar Saidu Namaska, the Sardauna Kontagora and son of the Sarkin Sudan of Kontagora Alhaji Saidu Namaska on Friday.

The Sardauna Kontagora and three others were killed by bandits on his father’s farm at Masuga on the Kontagora – Rijau road on Wednesday evening.

Bello lamented that while efforts were ongoing to tackle the activities of bandits in Munyan and Shiroro Local Government Areas, they (bandits) have decided to move into the hinter land of zone C to perpetrate their evil acts and therefore reemphasized the need for the security architecture of the state to be strenghtened.

He said that the rate at which banditry activities are thriving in the state and country as a whole calls for every Nigerian to reflect, even as government continues to ensure that it supports vigilantes not minding the state’s lean resources which is now solely being diverted to attend to security issues.

“The situation on ground at the moment calls for every Nigerian to reflect, think and wake up to do the needful. We shouldn’t politicise matters, and particularly security matters

According to him armed bandits do not differentiate or carry out their nefarious activities along party or ethno-religious divide, hence the need for collective efforts in the fight against banditry saying also that everyone should stand up to his or her responsibility in what ever capacity to bring the evil act of banditry to an end.

Governor Bello after the interment paid a condolence visit to the Sarkin Sudan Kontagora Alhaji Saidu Namaska where he described the deceased as ” a close ally whose services will be missed by the emirate and the state.”

Describing the circumstances surrounding the death of the prince as “Most unfortunate” Governor Bello charged the monarch to take the incident as an act of God and asked his subjects to pray for his good health ” now that he (Monarch) is sick”.