According to Umar Bago, the governor of Niger State, his government is prepared to confront bandits and their informants.
The governor made this known by cautioning bandits, informants, and those who harbored them to identify themselves to the security services in a video clip released by Gaskiya News Hausa on Thursday.
The governor went to Borgu Local Government Area in Niger State and spoke with the Emir about the bandits’ interference with farming and education.
Bago revealed that in order to improve operations against the terrorists, his government had acquired assistance from both foreign partners and the federal government.
He emphasized how insecurity affected the state’s agriculture and education, claiming that banditry had hindered farming activities and education, causing the state to regress.
“I’m warning you all, I swear to God Almighty, we are now fully ready to confront bandits and we have started. We have gotten enough support from the Federal Government of Nigeria and the foreign governments to do the needful.
“I was in Borgu three days ago and I told them but they thought I was joking. But the way and manner I spoke to them, they should understand that it is no longer business as usual,” he said.
Bago called on locals to work together to eliminate the threat, not to conceal bandits or their informants, and to provide security agencies information.
He stated that the government had deployed technology to monitor communications associated with criminal activities, accepting personal responsibility for any actions taken against informants in the course of operations.
“Don’t hide them, don’t hide informants or any suspects in your houses and forests. Give us information and we will pick them up.
“Niger State’s agriculture and education have been hampered. Students no longer attend boarding schools and this has drawn us backwards.
“For the informants present here, we have gadgets capable of tracking and monitoring your calls and if we discover you spoke or were in communication with bandits or anyone on our wanted list, we would add you to the list of wanted bandits and informants.
“If any informant goes missing, I, Bago, am responsible for their disappearance. I swear to Almighty God to hold me responsible. If you know any informants and you are here, I, Bago, will hunt you down,” he said.
