,,,,Orders recruitment of 10,000 of young men and women into Joint Task Force
By Correspondent in Minna
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State has declared that his administration will neither negotiate with armed bandits nor pay ransom for kidnapped victims, insisting that communities must rise in self-defense to safeguard their lives and property.
The governor made this firm declaration during a condolence visit to Rijau and Magama Local Government Areas, where some communities were recently attacked by gunmen in Kontagora axis.
Governor Bago said his government had long resolved to treat bandits as enemies of the state and not as people to be appeased, warning that ransom payments only encourage more kidnappings and worsen insecurity.
“What is happening in this state has reached a point where people must stand up and defend themselves. Paying ransom will only make kidnapping a profitable business. I will not negotiate with bandits; I will not pay ransom. The moment we start paying, they will open shop on our heads and keep kidnapping people,”Bago stated.
Describing the situation as a “state of war” that demands collective resistance, the governor emphasized that while the protection of lives and property remains a constitutional duty of government, citizens also have the right to defend themselves.
“We are surrounded by enemies, but we will not give up. The constitution gives us the right to defend our lives and properties, and we will do just that. There is no going back,” he declared.
To strengthen community resilience, Governor Bago announced the immediate recruitment and training of 10,000 young men and women into a Joint Task Force to confront the worsening security situation in the state.
In a decisive move aimed at tackling one of the root causes of insecurity, the governor also announced a total ban on all forms of mining activities across the entire Niger North Senatorial District (Zone C), which includes Mariga, Rijau, Magama, Kontagora, Wushishi, Borgu, Mashegu, and Agwara Local Government Areas.
According to him, intelligence reports revealed that illegal mining operations have become a major driver of banditry in the region.
“It is suspicious that miners can enter the forests freely, yet the bandits don’t touch them,” he noted, directing security agencies to arrest anyone found engaging in mining within the affected areas.
While commiserating with victims of the recent attacks, Governor Bago assured that his administration will provide compensation to families of those killed, offer medical support to the injured, and assist those who lost their sources of livelihood.
He reaffirmed his government’s determination to reclaim every community under siege, restore peace, and ensure that bandits “never find a safe haven again” in Niger State.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
