The Secretary to the Niger state government in North Central Nigeria, Ahmed Matane has called for coordinated and sustained joint security operations to tackle banditry in the state
Matane who stated this during a one-day symposium on; “Banditry and Insecurity in Niger State” organized by the Centre for Historical Research and Documentation, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai in Niger State, stressed the need for strict surveillance on the proliferation of weapons, full deployment of ICT-Drones, Trackers, Communication systems, the establishment of community policing to stem the tide of banditry.
The Secretary to the Niger State Government who further described the activities of bandits as an organized crime commonly perpetrated in rural communities traced that the crime emanated from Farmers -Herders clashes in Zamfara State, North- West Nigeria before generating the present-day abysmal state of insecurity in other parts of the country.
Earlier in his presentation, the former Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Isah Kawu, who also described banditry as a rural robbery, condemned in strong terms the idea of negotiating with bandits, mentioned that the decision to reject the idea of negotiating with bandits was a smart and commendable one.
The Chairman of the occasion, the Niger State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Prof. Abubakar Baba Aliyu stated that the persistent influx of armed bandits and criminal elements from neighbouring States led to the steady rise of banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and other criminality in the State.
The Vice-Chancellor of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Professor Abu-Kasim Adamu who in his remarks described the theme of the symposium as apt and timely, added that the event would not have come at a time better than now.
PIAK
