The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, has pleaded with the Federal Government to declare bandits as terrorists give room for the Nigerian military.
This came as no fewer than 343 persons were killed from July to September 2021 in Kaduna State, while 830 others were kidnapped.
The governor spoke yesterday at the presentation of the Kaduna State Security Incidents Report for the Third Quarter of 2021 in Kaduna saying “we in the Kaduna State Government, have always aligned with the declaration of bandits as insurgents and terrorists.
“We have written letters to the Federal Government since 2017, asking for this declaration because it is the declaration that will allow the Nigerian military to attack and kill these bandits without any major consequences in international law.
“So, we support the resolution by the National Assembly and we are going to follow up with a letter of support, for the Federal Government to declare these bandits and insurgents as terrorists, so that they will be fair game for our military.
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“This is the view of the Kaduna State Government.”
He said government could change the game significantly by hiring 1,000 willing youths from each of the 774 Local Government Areas, LGAs, in the country into the security agencies.
“This will be a surge in numbers that is unprecedented since the civil war. An influx of 774,000 new boots on the ground will be a significant blow against criminals and an employment boost,” he said.
He said “our Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs has just presented its report on security incidents in Kaduna State within the third quarter of 2021.
“It is a sobering report, reflecting the real agony of our citizens and communities, their pains and losses, and the fears and anxiety that have created considerable distress.”
The Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, at the event said no fewer than 343 persons were killed from July to September 2021 in Kaduna State, while 830 others were kidnapped .
He said that 210 persons sustained various degrees of injuries with the same period across the state.
Aruwan said within the period under review, 69 bandits were killed by security agencies, while 10 victims were raped, 101 persons were rescued by troops during patrols and operations.
The Commissioner said 1018 animals were rustled, while there were 77 reports received, relating to the destruction of farms across the state within the period.
