Nasir El-Rufai, governor of Kaduna, says his government will not engage with bandits and kidnappers.
There have been a series of attacks on Kaduna communities in the past weeks, particularly institutions of learning.
On Monday, gunmen stormed a UBE primary school at Rama in Birnin-Gwari LGA, kidnapping some teachers.
In the wake of bandits’ attacks on several northern states, Ahmad Gumi, a prominent Islamic cleric, had called for a peace deal with the gunmen.
Commenting on the issue at an expanded meeting of the state
security council on Tuesday, El-Rufai said his job as governor is to enforce
the law and help to prosecute people who commit offenses, and not negotiate
with bandits.
“We will not engage with bandits or kidnappers. Private
citizens like clerics and clergymen can do so in their individual capacities,
to preach to them and ask them to repent. We also want them to repent but it is
not our job to ask them to do so,” he said.
The governor said the best way to solve the farmer-herder
clashes, cattle rustling, and banditry “is for nomadic herdsmen to live more
sedentary lives in order for them to be more productive and give their children
education and access to better healthcare”.
He noted that nomadic or transhuman cattle breeding has been
rendered obsolete by urbanisation and population growth as most of the cattle
routes have been taken over by development.
He also said the state government is implementing a ranching
project in Damau Grazing Reserve, Kubau LGA.
The governor added that the project will enable the herders
to raise their cattle in a facility with pastures, a school, and a primary
healthcare centre, with a commercial partner ready to buy their milk.
The expanded security council meeting was attended by
traditional rulers, religious leaders as professional associations, trade
unions and civil society groups.
KIDNAPPED RESIDENTS ‘RESCUED’
In another development, Samuel Aruwan, the commissioner for
internal security and home affairs, said some kidnapped victims in Chikun LGA
have been rescued.
“Troops of Operation Thunder Strike reported that two armed
bandits were neutralized at “Five-Thirty” village in Chikun local government
area,” he said in a statement.
“According to the report, this followed the attempted kidnap
of four women from the village by the armed bandits.
“The troops responded
to a distress call and mobilized swiftly to the area to engage the bandits.
“Following a gunfight, the bandits abandoned the captives
who were then able to escape.
“After the skirmish, the corpses of two bandits were
recovered, with the others having escaped with possible gunshot wounds.”
He said one soldier sustained an injury from gunshots during
the exchange of fire and he is recuperating in the hospital.
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