North-West governors meet in Kaduna over killings, banditry

Governors from the North-West states on Wednesday converged in Kaduna to review their security approaches in tackling the common challenges of banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities in the region.

All the governors of the seven North-West states were in attendance, except Kano, who was represented by the Deputy Governor.

Also in attendance is Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger state, whose state shares same security challenges as the bordering North-West States.

Declaring the meeting open before they went into a closed-door session today, the Chairman of the North-West Governor’s forum and Governor of Katsina state, Aminu Bello Masari said, while the region had succeeded in fighting cattle rustling, new challenges of kidnapping and banditry have emerged.

He said the meeting was also to plan on ways to arrest the situation, explaining that, the acts of banditry, unwanted destruction of lives and property in the states and the nation at large were worrisome.

Governor Masari however said the meeting, which is a continuation of what started since 2016 when the states were faced with cattle rustling, would be reviewing what had happen and the next step to be taken as governors and state’s security chiefs.

According to Masari, “We were able to achieve certain level of success with regards to cattle rustling, but over time, the criminality has developed into kidnapping, banditry and unwanted and unwarranted criminal activities within our states.

“So, we thought it is wise we should come to Kaduna, the old headquarters of Northern Nigeria to review what has been done. We are here to address North West and Niger state and also review what had happen and the next step to be taken as governors and security chiefs who are saddle with the responsibility of protecting life’s and properties of the people.”