Niger state government has said that it is taking proactive measure towards ensuring that the Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs), on the run as a result of armed banditry attacks return to their homes.
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello stated this when he visited the IDPs Camp in Kagara, headquarter of Rafi Local Government Area.
Governor Sani Bello said it will employ all avenues within its reach to get rid of the armed bandits and other criminal elements that were causing pain, havoc and hardship to the people.
He said that discussion has reached an advanced stage with the Nigerian Army for additional soldiers to be posted to the state so as to beef up security in Rafi and Shiroro Local Governments that were most hit by the armed banditry activities.
The Governor said that IDPs needed to go back to their homes and return to their farms, as such, efforts were being intensified towards eliminating the bandits, adding the IDPs camp too have also affected teaching and learning due to the fact that they were occupying a public school.
However, he said that to achieve the success of doing away with the bandits and other criminal elements, the overall support of the people was needed and that attitudinal change and good family values must be restored
According to him, without the full support and cooperation from the people, there was nothing security personnel could do, adding that they should be on the watch out on the bandits’ informants amongst them as most attacks looked well coordinated.
Governor Sani Bello had earlier visited Tungan Makeri community where recent bandits attack took place and he was also at the Kagara General Hospital to sympathize with the victims of the attack.
Speaking at the Kagara IDP’s camp, Head of hospital services, Kagara General hospital, Dr Salisu Mohammed said they receive displaced persons virtually on a daily basis at the camp and that majority of them were from Shiroro local government area.
Some of the IDPs who spoke in Hausa language said all they needed was for the government to deploy more security personnel to the area to tackle the bandits to enable them go back to their villages and live their normal lives without been constantly intimidated, harassed, maimed and killed.
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