From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The Arewa Think Tank (ATT), a northern advocacy group, has expressed strong support for Niger State Governor Umar Bago’s executive order to combat crime and insecurity in the state.
The group stated that the governor’s actions are lawful and necessary to address the rising violence in Minna, the state capital, where thuggery and killings have become frequent.
In a statement, ATT Convener Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu praised Bago’s bold measures. “We wish to throw our weight behind Governor Umar Bago of Niger State over the executive order directing security agents to arrest people wearing dreadlocks, following a series of calls by terrorised residents of Minna to curb the worsening thuggery that has claimed the lives of many innocent people,” the statement read.
ATT challenged critics of the order to propose alternative solutions to the escalating crisis.
The group highlighted the severity of the situation, noting that over 10 people, including a retired permanent secretary, have been killed by thugs in Minna this year. On 22 April 2025, thugs stabbed a bank driver, Mohammed, to death with scissors while he assisted local vigilantes, according to Niger State Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun.
Moreover, ATT commended the Niger State House of Assembly for engaging security agencies to tackle the issue. The group supported Bago’s zero-tolerance stance on thuggery, including the demolition of buildings sheltering criminals and a curfew on commercial motorcycles and tricycles from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in Minna, with exemptions for medical emergencies.
They also endorsed the establishment of a special court under the Chief Judge of Niger State for swift prosecution of thuggery cases and the confiscation of vehicles carrying illicit drugs.
The statement urged local leaders to document residents and report criminal gangs promptly. “Arewa Think Tank believes that Governor Umar Bago, who is popularly known as Farmer Governor, is on the right track to rid Niger State of thuggery even without an executive order because he has been up and doing since he was elected governor of the state,” it concluded.