Bandits Strike On Day Of Prayers, House Member Escapes Abduction

Buhari (left) and Abu Lolo (right)

The member representing Rafi local government area, Alhaji  Abdullahi Gaba Magani, escaped a kidnap attempt on him yesterday Saturday 22^nd February in Tungan Bako of Rafi local government of Niger state. 

Though the politician escaped unhurt, an unspecified number of innocent members of the community are reported to have been abducted by the bandits. Many other residents suffered varying degrees of injuries and herds of cattle were rustled away. 

The attacks came on the same day the state government headed by Abubakar Sani Bello ordered prayers to be held in the eight emirates of the state over the growing spate of banditry in the state. 

On Tuesday 18^th February, bandits killed 3 people and sacked hundreds of others in the same local government.

Bandits Kill 3, Sack 100s in Fresh Attacks

On 25th January, the federal government ordered the deployment of military equipment, including air crafts, to fight bandits in the affected local governments of Shiroro, Paikoro, Munya, Rafi and others.

On the same day (25th January), 11 people were killed and 4 women were kidnapped when bandits attacked Rafi local government. The bandits were said to utilize helicopters.

On Friday 21^st February, bandits killed one person and abducted several others including a pregnant woman in Borgu local government of the state.

Sins and Insecurity

On 20^th February, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sad Abubakar III, who is referred to as the leader of Nigerian Muslims, asserted that the growing insecurity in Nigeria is driven by the sins being committed in the country. Represented by Idris Musa, the emir of Jiwa, at the 5th international conference on “Love and Tolerance: Countering Violent Extremism for Peaceful Coexistence” in Abuja, the Sultan is quoted to have said, “If we cannot listen to what the Bible and Quran have taught us and we continue in our bad ways, what do we expect? It is part of the punishment we are receiving based on our sins. If we can stop committing sin and abide by God’s words, things will change.” 

Many citizens of Nigeria, Muslims and Christians alike, have dismissed the prayers as an attempt by the government and its allies in the clergy to push blame away from itself unto the masses.

Funding of Vigilante Groups and Insecurity

On 8th February 2017, the Niger state government under Abubakar Sani Bello distributed 90 motor bikes to vigilante groups in Shiroro, Rafi and Munya local government to fight insecurity in the areas. Again on 27th January 2020, the state government distributed 120 motorbikes and 12 vehicles to vigilante groups in the region.

On 16^th February, the chairman of Rafi local government, Isma'il Musa Modibbo of the APC, inaugurated two thousand five hundred (2500) local vigilantes personnel to assist in what has been called ‘community policing’. These cannot be said to have yielded any fruits.

Niger state governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, also known by the nom de guerre, Abu Lolo, was made the chairman of the North Central Governors Forum in a security summit organized by the Nigerian police Force on 23rd January.

So far in 2020, no fewer than 20 civilians and 5 security personnel have been killed by bandits in Niger state; thousands have also been forced to flee their homes to become IDPs in their own state.  Hundreds oif others have been abducted with no trace. Government officials say there are currently ten thousand IDPs in the state.

Fighting insecurity, particularly in Northern Nigeria, was a major campaign promise of Muhammadu Buhari when he pleaded to be voted for in 2015. It has become another item on the to do list of the administration that shows no sign of being achieved any time soon.

The coming of the APC governments at state and federal levels in Nigeria spearheaded by Muhammadu Buhari has brought about a reduction in Boko Haram activities but a concomitant astronomical rise in banditry, kidnapping and massacres by suspected herdsmen.