Bandits Outnumber Security Personnel, Says Gov Aminu Masari

• Governor Aminu Masari has raised an alarm over the inadequate number of security operatives in the northwest
• According to the governor, the security operatives are small in number compared to the armed bandits in the region
• The Katsina governor has now made a case for armed vigilante groups to be drafted into the war against the bandits

Katsina - Katsina state governor, Mallam Aminu Masari says bandits in the northwest outnumber the security personnel in the region.

Masari made the comment when he received the minister of information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who visited the state to get firsthand information on ongoing operations against banditry.

Daily Trust quoted him as saying:

“We have a situation in which these bandits are outnumbering the security forces, when you have volunteer forces that you’ve trained, that are willing to assist you, but the support and response by the military and the police are not encouraging.”

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Meanwhile, Premium Times newspaper reports that the Emir of Katsina, Abdulmuminu Usman, said bandits killing people in the north-west deserve nothing but death.

According to the report, the emir made the comment during a security stakeholders' meeting on Tuesday, September 21 in Katsina attended by Governor Masari and Alhaji Mohammed.

In a related development, some northern youths have backed the decision to shut down telecommunications networks in some local government areas in some states of the northwest aimed at containing banditry.

Daily Trust newspaper reports that the group, Northern Youths Democratic Network described the ongoing military operation against insurgency and bandits in the north as a step in the right direction.

Many killed as fleeing bandits run into Military camp in Niger

Legit.ng had earlier reported that it was the end of the road for scores of armed bandits fleeing the ongoing military operation in Zamfara and Katsina states as they were neutralised by soldiers at Maganda village near Allawa in Shiroro local government area of Niger state.

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The bandits were trying to escape through the notorious Alawa thick forest on Friday, September 10, when they ran into the military camp stationed at Alawa.

A gun battle ensued and after several hours, the security operatives came out victorious. Scores of the armed criminals did not live to tell the story while others managed to escape into the forest with bullets wounds.

How to end banditry in the north

Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, the well-read Islamic cleric who is becoming increasingly popular, had earlier made suggestions on how the federal government can resolve the issue of banditry in the north.

Gumi stated that there is nothing wrong if the government establishes what he called a federal ministry of Nomadic affairs.

According to him, this ministry will address grievances and complaints from such persons, and also take care of repentant insurgents.

Source: Legit.ng