Niger Lawmaker Raises the Alarm on Rise of Banditry in His Constituency
Laleye Dipo in Minna
Moving a motion of urgent public importance on the floor of the Niger State House of Assembly member representing Rafi state constituency, Alhaji Zubairu Ismail Zanna, has raised the alarm that banditry is on the increase in his area.
Zanna claimed that no fewer than 120 members of his constituency, including women and children, were abducted by the gunmen in January this year.
In addition, the lawmaker, who was almost in tears, submitted that six people were killed as they were trying to escape the assault of the bandits.
He said: “All these attacks happened between January 12 and 27 this year, and these communities come under series of attacks from bandits and kidnappers almost intermittently.”
According to him, the bandits were entering communities in his constituency through Birningwari in Kaduna State, insisting that “these bandits usually enter through Birinin Gwari, Kewaye-Gayan, Manini, Pole wire and Kuyallo to wreak havoc in my local government.”
Zanna attributed the increase in banditry in his constituency to the “peace agreement” reached between the leaders of the gunmen and the Kaduna State Government, saying they (bandits) “now find my area as veritable place to operate.”
The lawmaker, therefore, urged the state government to urgently take steps to address the menace.
Virtually all those that contributed to the debate on the issue decried the escalation of banditry in parts of the state and suggested that the state government should liase with the federal government to restore peace in the trouble communities in the state.
The House specifically asked the state government and security operatives to deploy their men to all the routes through which the bandits use to lunch attacks on the communities.
The House also resolved to ask the state government to liaise with the Kaduna State Government on how to have a joint security patrol within the border communities, stressing that the proactive measures by the Kaduna State Government has put pressure on communities in the state.
“People are running away from their homes; nowhere is safe right now. There is the need for urgent action by the government because the bandits are relocating in their numbers to Niger State,” he lamented.
