Contrary to Kaduna State government’s position to rout out bandits, the criminal elements killed 323 people in the state from January to March 2021.
Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs in Kaduna, Samuel Aruwan stated this while presenting the first quarter security report at the State Security Council meeting on Friday April 30.
Recall that Kaduna Governor Nasiru Ahmad El Rufa’i had on March 2, 2020, vowed to rout out bandits from the state, and would not negotiate with the terrorists.
The governor, who spoke against the backdrop of Sunday night’s killing of over 50 people in Giwa and Igabi Local Government Areas by bandits, was told by the locals who lost their loved ones in the attack that casualty figure from the invasion was over 50.
Aruwan added that a total of 949 people were kidnapped by bandits during the period. Kaduna Central senatorial district accounted for 236 deaths and they were within Birnin Gwari, Chikun, Igabi, and Kajuru Local Government Areas.
He also informed the council that some successes were recorded on the part of the security forces, including the killing of hundreds of bandits and recovery of many weapons.
Governor El-Rufai, in his speech at the meeting, decried the spate of kidnapping and banditry in Kaduna which he said was taking an alarming proportion.
Noting that the attacks are getting out hand, the Governor stated that the bandits operating in the state were inching closer from rural communities to the cities, where they have attacked innocent citizens in recent times with utmost boldness.
Again, Aruwan, in a statement on Sunday, April 4, in Kaduna, declared “The attention of the Kaduna State Government, under the leadership of El-Rufai, has been drawn to reports in the media that it has appointed representatives to interface with bandits on its behalf.
”The State Government hereby, clarifies firmly that such intermediaries have never been appointed,” he said.
Aruwan said the position of the Kaduna Government remained the same and that the state would not negotiate with, or pay ransom to bandits, and “any person who claims to do so in any capacity, if found, will be prosecuted accordingly.
“Citizens are advised to report the details of any persons posing as official government negotiators to the Kaduna State Security Operations,” Aruwan said.
