Niger state government has said 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.
Igbere TV reports that Governor Abubakar Sani Bello stated this when he visited the IDPs Camp in Kagara, headquarter of Rafi Local Government Area.
Governor Sani Bello revealed that his government will employ all avenues within its reach to get rid of the armed bandits and other criminal elements that are causing pain, havoc and hardship to the people, adding 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 Areas,mostly affected by the armed banditry activities.
While noting that the IDPs needed to go back to their homes and return to their farms, the Governor explained that efforts were being intensified towards eliminating the bandits, saying that the IDPs camp too have affected teaching and learning due to the fact that they were occupying a public school.
He however said, to achieve success in doing away with the bandits and other criminal elements, the overall support of the people is 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, advising the people to be on the watch out for 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.
