Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has called on the Muhammadu Buhari-led government to “immediately and without hesitation” put an end to the activities of bandits.
Naija News reports that El-Rufai stated this on Wednesday at the presentation of the 2020 Annual Security Report in Kaduna.
The Kaduna governor accused bandits of challenging the sovereignty of Nigeria, adding that they must be wiped out.
El-Rufai said: “Banditry has severely impacted the rural economy and shaken the confidence of citizens.
“It has driven farmers from their land, putting food security at risk, displaced communities, stolen property and deprived people of their right to life.
“We must put a stop to these criminal acts and enable our people to live their lives in peace and safety. This is a most urgent task.”
The Kaduna governor vowed not to engage bandits in dialogue or offer them any form of amnesty
He said: “We will neither negotiate with criminals of any description nor support any grant of amnesty.
“Criminal gangs, bandits, insurgents and ethno-religious militias made a conscious choice to challenge Nigeria’s sovereignty and menace our citizens.
“These criminals must be wiped out immediately and without hesitation.
“I am assured by the recent directive given to the federal security agencies to wipe out such gun-wielding criminals by the president.”