Bandits in northern Nigeria killed 213 people from July-Oct: Official

By Ibrahim Garba Shuaibu

KANO, Nigeria (AA) - Bandits operating in Nigeria’s northwestern Katsina state killed 213 people from July to October, an official said Thursday.

The Secretary to the Katsina State Government, Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa, announced this at a press briefing to give an update on the Security (Containment) Order issued two months ago by Governor Aminu Masari to tackle security challenges in the state.

Inuwa revealed that 153 bandit attacks took place in the state during the period, which also resulted in 115 people being wounded.

He said there were also 234 kidnapping cases during the period involving 676 victims.

Inuwa also said that during the period, 2,023 cows, 452 sheep, 279 goats and 13 donkeys were rustled by criminals.

According to him, bandits now make use of radio frequency walkie-talkie transceivers for communication among themselves.

He said although the Security (Containment) Order had been effective, bandits and other criminal elements operating in the state had been coming up with new methods of circumventing it.

Bandits now attack motorists and motorcyclists, siphoning fuel from their gas tanks, and also force villagers to purchase fuel for them.

Inuwa added that informants were also not helping matters.

He maintained, however, that security operatives were up to the task of tackling the criminals.

“A recent and most worrisome move by the criminals is the observed acquisition of radio frequency walkie-talkie transceivers by the bandits, which they have started using. Security agencies are however on their trail to bringing the malpractice to an end,” he said.

He also revealed that 724 suspects had been arrested from March to September, adding that 75 of them were under investigation while 296 were being prosecuted.

He declared that sustained monitoring of banditry-related activities in the state has revealed that September and October witnessed a decline in the activities of bandits regarding kidnapping, cattle rustling and other forms of criminality compared to July and August.

”The Containment Order is a child of necessity and has not been put in place to hurt or cause hardship to citizens of the state,” he added.

Among the measures were the closure of the Kankara-Scheme as well as Jibia-Baure roads, the closure of some markets where domestic animals were sold, and restriction of the sale of fuel in some local government areas.

A telecommunication shutdown was also effected in some local government areas while there was a restriction on interstate movements of domestic animals.