…Says bandits killed 888, kidnapped 2,553 persons under 9 months
Kaduna State governor, Nasir Ahmed el-Rufa’i, has called on the Federal Government to proscribe bandits as terrorists.
He made the call at the presentation of the ‘Kaduna State Security Incidents Report for the Third Quarter of 2021‘, in Kaduna on Wednesday.
El-Rufa’i said declaring bandits terrorists would help the Nigerian military “kill” them within the confines of international laws.
According to the governor, “We in the Kaduna State Government, have always aligned with the declaration of bandits as insurgents and terrorists.
“We have written letters to the Federal Government since 2017, asking for this declaration because it is the declaration that will allow the Nigerian military to attack and kill these bandits without any major consequences in international law.
“So, we support the resolution by the National Assembly and we are going to follow up with a letter of support, for the Federal Government to declare these bandits and insurgents as terrorists so that they will be fair game for our military. This is the view of the Kaduna State Government”.
Kaduna State has been one of those affected by the activities of banditry. Students, religious leaders have been abducted and killed by bandits in the State.
The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, had earlier informed that bandits killed 343 and kidnapped 830 persons, while 210 others were injured in the last three months.
He added that 69 bandits were killed by the military troops during the period under review.
He said there was a total of 888 cases of killings, 2 553 kidnappings and 720 injured by bandits from January to September respectively.
