Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Traditional ruler of the troubled Birnin-Gwari local government area of Kaduna State, Emir Zubair Jibril Mai-Gwari II, on Friday revealed that the bandits terrorising his area were now struggling to secure food eat and are thereby weak.
The traditional father called on more security strategies and tactics to put the activities of the criminal elements to a halt as soon as possible.
The emir who stated in his palace while playing host to Kaduna State new Commissioner of Police, Ali Aji Janga, who paid a familiarisation and operational visit to the local government area, expressed optimism that his subjects would breath the air of peace again.
Over the years, people in this local government have known no peace because of the attacks by armed robbers, kidnappers, cattle rustlers and bandits, which have led to the death of hundreds of people in the area and grounded its economy.
The emirate appealed to the police commissioner to regulate the activities of a group identified as security volunteers, saying that they are suspected to be informants of the criminals.
“The bandits are only carrying out their operations in secluded areas where there are small markets stalls and steal food in order to survive; they are hungry, they don’t have time to kill people again.
“If the police should restrategise, little effort will only be needed to scrap them all; they don’t have much weapons; they are hidden in obvious hideouts.
“The vigilance groups are also very helpful and they are playing very vital roles in the fight against crime in the local government, but the police should look into putting an end to the help of volunteers.
“They over react to situations and cause more damages. The police should seat with them, get the good ones and recruit them to work together with the vigilantes.
“We now have three extra police divisions in the local government. We earlier had four. The police personnel are not many, but they are trying their best to curtail any kind of criminal activity in the local government.
“We are aware of the challenges faced by the police; we know you can’t instantly deploy police officers to us, but the few we have are putting in their best in the fight against criminality in the areas.
“We have had a lot of police commissioners in the state. I have worked with about 20 while on the throne. We gave them all the support they needed to combat crime in our communities. We also pledge to give you our maximum support,” he promised.
Commissioner of Police, Janga, assured that the issue of banditry would soon be a thing of the past in the area, as a simultaneous raid in all parts the states under armed bandits’ attacks is in the pipeline.