Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State has said that informants divulging information about security operatives to the bandits have made it impossible to win the fight against bandit attacks in the state.
He said some of these saboteurs are residing in the communities affected by armed banditry, kidnappings and cattle rustling, which led to the inability of security agencies to completely overrun the criminals.
The governor, while addressing journalists in Minna, applauded security agencies and the vigilantes in the renewed fight against the bandits but regretted that their efforts were being sabotaged by some informants who divulge strategies of the security operatives and their movement.
“This is a very serious challenge to us because the bandits are working with some highly placed members of the affected communities who give them vital information thereby aiding them from been tactically isolated and overrun”.
He said the state has been confronted with serial security threats in recent times and that government would not be deterred by the unpatriotic activities of such saboteurs but will do everything possible to bring an end to crime and criminality in the state.
Bello urged the people to support government in the fight against the bandits by reporting persons they suspect to be aiding the bandits and to also provide useful, prompt information to the security agencies in order to trace their movements and checkmate their nefarious activities.
He also identified the state’s landmass and vast forests as one of the biggest challenge stressing that the bandits have, regrettably, capitalised on the thickness of the forests to rustle cattle and kidnap people in the affected areas.
“I can assure you that all hands are on deck to ensure that we provide safe and secure environment for our people. Our success against these miscreants can only be accelerated with proper knowledge and intelligence about them, hence the need for the support of all”.
Five local government areas, including Rafi, Shiroro, Mariga, Lapai and Munya have, in recent times, suffered serial attacks from the bandits stealing, maiming and destroying properties running into millions of naira and causing thousands to flee their homes for safety.
