Niger State Governor Umaru Bago has told residents to defend themselves against bandit attacks, declaring that his administration will neither pay ransom nor enter into negotiations with criminal groups terrorising parts of the state.
Gatekeepers News reports that Bago made the remarks during a visit to Rijau and Magama local government areas, which have suffered repeated assaults by bandits operating from the Kontagora axis.
The governor said the state had reached a “critical stage” that demanded collective resistance, stressing that paying ransom would only embolden the attackers and make kidnapping a lucrative enterprise.
“I will not negotiate with bandits. I will not pay ransom,” Bago said. “The moment we start paying, they will open shop on our heads and continue kidnapping people.”
“The situation has reached a state of war that requires collective resistance. We are surrounded by enemies, but we will not give up. The constitution gives us the right to defend our lives and property, and we will do just that,” he added.
Describing the recurring attacks and displacement of residents as “embarrassing and unacceptable,” the governor announced plans to recruit and train 10,000 personnel into the state’s joint security task force to boost local defence and restore peace.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Print Media, Aisha Wakaso, Bago also declared a total ban on all mining activities across Zone C of the state, which covers Magama, Kontagora, Rijau, Wushishi, Mariga, Borgu, Mashegu, and Agwara local government areas.
He said illegal mining had become a key driver of insecurity, as it granted unrestricted access to forest areas often used by bandits as hideouts.
“It is suspicious that miners can enter the forests freely, yet the bandits don’t touch them,” Bago said. “I have ordered the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to arrest anyone caught engaging in mining activities.”
The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to ending the cycle of violence and ensuring lasting peace in all parts of Niger State.
