Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, has called on residents to take up self-defence against bandit attacks, declaring that his administration will neither pay ransom nor negotiate with criminals under any circumstance.
The governor made this known during a visit to Rijau and Magama Local Government Areas, where several communities were recently attacked by bandits operating from the Kontagora axis.
Bago said the state had reached a critical point that required collective action, stressing that paying ransom would only encourage the criminals and make kidnapping a lucrative business.
“I will not negotiate with bandits. I will not pay ransom,” Bago said.
“The moment we start paying, they will open shop on our heads and continue kidnapping people. The situation has reached a state of war that requires collective resistance. We are surrounded by enemies, but we will not give up. The constitution gives us the right to defend our lives and property, and we will do just that.”
Describing the persistent attacks and displacement of residents as “embarrassing and unacceptable,” the governor announced plans to recruit and train 10,000 personnel into the state’s joint task force to bolster community security and restore peace.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Print Media, Aisha Wakaso, Bago also declared a total ban on mining activities across Zone C of the state, which includes Magama, Kontagora, Rijau, Wushishi, Mariga, Borgu, Mashegu, and Agwara Local Government Areas.
He explained that illegal mining had become a major contributor to insecurity in the region, noting that miners often had unrestricted access to forests deemed unsafe for residents.
“It is suspicious that miners can enter the forests freely, yet the bandits don’t touch them. I have ordered the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to arrest anyone caught engaging in mining activities,” he said.
Governor Bago reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ending the cycle of violence and restoring lasting peace across Niger State.
