LAGAS (Halbeeg News) – As the military campaign against Nigeria’s notorious bandits intensifies in the north, the government has ruled out further dialogue and an amnesty, and asked them to before it is too late.
Bandits in north central and north west have had a field day killing and kidnapping people, including children, for ransom, without yielding to entreaties from the various state governments.
Thousands of people have been killed and a significant number of students and children kidnapped this year in Niger, Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kebbi, Katsina, Kano and Jigawa states.
The situation, which had led to closure of schools in many of the states, necessitated the deployment of ground and air troops to wipe out anyone carrying assault rifles.
Amnesty withdrawn
Amid the military operation which has left many of the bandits killed or surrendering, Zamfara State Governor, Mr Bello Matawalle, has withdrawn the amnesty he offered earlier.
He said on Saturday that the administration will no longer grant amnesty to bandits in the north west, the epicentre of bandit attacks.
The decision, he said, became necessary as the bandits failed to embrace the peace initiative they were earlier invited to be a part of.
“They sent a powerful committee to plead with us to cease fire and allow supply (of food and other essential commodities) but I refused,” the governor said.
“What we are doing to bandits is sending them to God so they can answer questions.”
The governor said bandits currently under the heat of the security operatives sent some persons to inform him that they have repented.
Noting that the bandits use motorcycles to commit crimes, the governor asked politicians to “fear God’ and avoid buying these vehicles for distribution to locals as they are sold to the attackers.
“Politicians distributing motorcycles must stop. We will not dialogue again. We’ll continue to fight the bandits,” he said.
Critical steps
The decision to stop pardoning bandits came a week after the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) shut down services in Zamfara and other states for two weeks.
It also closed weekly markets, stopped the sale of petrol in jerry cans and restricted the movement of people.
These critical steps were taken to enable security agencies to adequately respond to challenges.
Barely a week after the implementation of the measures and deployment of troops, bandits held up in their camps are on the brink, as they resort to exchanging abductees for food.
The criminals have been demanding food as governors shut markets in the north-west region, a resident said, noting the release of a captive after food was supplied to abductors.
Call to surrender
Meanwhile, military authorities have urged the bandits to surrender to troops when there was still time to do so.
Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, on September 10, directed troops to sustain the onslaught against insurgents and bandits in order to rid the north of them.
“Terrorists and bandits who surrendered recently are undergoing re-orientation under the Nigerian Army. I am calling on those yet to surrender to follow suit,” he said.
“We are not going to release them into their various communities until they have gone for re-orientation under the Nigerian Army and have been fully screened.”
AFP
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