John Adams, Minna
The Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, has said that the activities of armed bandits in parts of the state have rendered over 10,000 people homeless.
Governor Bellow also said the victims were currently taking refuge in different Internally Displaced (IDPs) Camps across the state.
Bello also disclosed that the military offensive against the Boko Haram insurgents in the North east was largely responsible to the increase in the activities of bandits in parts of the state, saying that the fleeing members of the insurgents were finding their ways into the state.
Bello who was speaking at different functions on Saturday in the state , admitted that the state was currently under siege, but assured the people that the war against bandits would soon be won and the displaced people would return to their ancestral homes.
Speaking during a special prayers at the Minna central mosque organised by the state government against banditry in the state, Bello said that the government had no choice than to resort to special prayers for God to intervene in the current security situation.
The prayers, he disclosed was being organised simultaneously across the eight Emirate Councils in the state, which coincided with the Christian prayers in churches on Sunday.
According to him, “I enjoined Christians and Muslims in the state to pray and ask for God’s intervention on the security challenges facing the state. Over N10, 000 have been displaced and several others were killed. We have no choice than to go back to God in prayers.
“ In recent times, bandits have been very inhumane in their activities. They have killed innocent civilians ; security men, members of vigilance groups ,women ,children and virtually anything that moves around”.
Also peaking as a special guest of honour at the combined prayer service ,2019 West African Social Activities (WASA) jointly organised by the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADDOC), and 313 Field Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Minna, Bello said the success being recorded in the war against insurgents by the military was responsible for the increase in banditry in the state.
While expressing optimism that the war against insurgents would be won, he said, “the disturbing cases of kidnapping, arm banditry and cattle rustling within the state in recent times can not be unconnected with the defeat of the insurgents in the North east.