Report reveals bandits killed almost 1000 people in Kaduna last year
- Armed bandits continue to wreak havoc in Kaduna state and across northern Nigeria
- The Kaduna state government has taken stock to review the extent of damage caused by the terrorists
- Almost 1000 people have been killed across seven local government areas of the north-west state
PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!
A report by the Kaduna state government has revealed that no fewer than 937 people have been killed throughout the state by bandits with 1,962 others kidnapped in the year 2020.
Channels TV reports that the information was disclosed by the state's commissioner for internal security and home affairs, Samuel Aruwan, on Wednesday, March 10.
Aruwan, however, stated that despite the challenges, the government in collaboration with security agencies is working hard to bring the problem to an end.
Out of the number of casualties, he said Igabi local government area of the state has the highest figures of 152 deaths followed by the Zango Kataf local government with 114 deaths.
Source: UGC
PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read the best news on Nigeria’s #1 news app
Meanwhile, a coalition of 15 northern-based civil society organisations on Wednesday, March 3 accused some northern governors of turning the rising cases of kidnapping and banditry in the region into money-spinning ventures.
The groups under the umbrella of Non-State Actors Consultative Forum (NOSACOF) made the accusation at a press briefing in Kano state.
Speaking at the briefing, the co-convener of the coalition, Mr. Ibrahim Waiya, alleged that political actors in north Nigeria have devised a new strategy to swindling public resources through negotiation with bandits.
Similarly, a foremost non-governmental organisation in Nigeria, Connected Development, CODE, has described as worrisome and an indictment on the country's democracy; the spate of abductions of school children in recent times.
The organisation, in a statement sent to Legit.ng on Wednesday, March 3 called on the federal government to urgently deploy measures to protect children and ensure schools are safe for learning.
CODE also lamented that the children, parents, and guardians affected will suffer psychological and social consequences on their experiences for the rest of their lives.
In a related development, former Anambra state governor Peter Obi has frowned at reports of the government paying bandits ransom to free those abducted by the criminal gangs.
Obi a former vice presidential candidate, said such actions by the government are inimical to the economic growth of Nigeria.
Jerrywright Ukwu is an Abuja-based senior political/defence correspondent at Legit.ng. He is a graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos and the International Institute of Journalism in Abuja. He is also a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists. He spends his leisure-time reading history books. He can be reached via email at jerrywright39@yahoo.com.
Source: Legit.ng
