Bandits in Northern Nigeria are becoming bolder and more brazen by the day. For instance, seemingly helpless communities in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State have been levied N7million by bandits operating in the area for allegedly inviting the military for operation against them.
It would be recalled that the joint security taskforce recently carried out a major operation in communities in Shiroro local government area, where an unspecified number of bandits was neutralized while many of them fled to neighboring communities in Kaduna State.
Communities raided by the joint security taskforce include Kusasu, Iburo and Chukuba, among others, all in Shiroro Local Government Area of the State.
However, barely two days after the operation, the bandits returned to the communities in their numbers and accused the people of inviting the security taskforce for the operation and, therefore, asked the people to pay N7million to cover the losses suffered by the bandits.
A native of one of the affected communities, who spoke to our correspondent on phone but did not want his name in print for fear of being attacked, said the bandits who suffered serious casualties during operation were angry with the people, adding that although a majority of the bandits escaped to the bush during the operation, some were killed and others injured.
“They (bandits) were very angry with the communities because they said we were the ones that invited the military to come and kill them. They threatened to kill all of us but we begged them that we did not know anything about the military operation.
“They came in about five motorcycles and they were all fully armed with guns and went round the communities before calling us together for the meeting.
“They later told us that we must pay N7million for the losses they suffered, including money for the treatment of those who were injured. They gave just one week for the communities to pay the money.
“They warned us that if the military came back and attacked them again, they would kill all of us. They are Fulani and are there in the bush within the communities,” he narrated, agonizing that most of the gunmen terrorising the communities were born and grew up in the affected communities but have decided to turn against the people.
According to him, about one month ago, the youths in the communities repelled attacks from the gunmen during which several of them were killed, and this brought some respite to the communities before the arrival of the joint security taskforce.
He pointed out that until there is a security camp in the area, especially in Chukuba or Kusasu, the activities of the bandits will not stop, stressing that these two communities serve as the entry route to carry out attacks within the local government and even neighboring Munya Local Government Area in the state.
“The only solution is to station a military camp either in Kusasu or Chukuba community because that is where they always pass through to carry out attacks on communities within the axis.
“Until that is done, all the communities within Shiroro local government and parts of Munya local government will not have peace. They have a permanent camp between Gwagwalada in Kaduna state and Kuduru in Niger state,” the source added.
