“Bandits, Criminal Herdsmen Are Not Nigerians” — FG

<header class="entry-header mh-clearfix"><h1 class="entry-title"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSf9ZCUFeFSlJoLOMjdRkgZrh4AQNe7gRnHVTtSkylNkF6cPfFl_WO5FGyNn3bHvhrSgqufb2Hg3P-JtcwRB7COlBrCdpo1s0LlXW6gFjLv_K2CJEBMfS4xjTwD12K56K5q2BFVDw8rPc/s1600/1613908132102708-0.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSf9ZCUFeFSlJoLOMjdRkgZrh4AQNe7gRnHVTtSkylNkF6cPfFl_WO5FGyNn3bHvhrSgqufb2Hg3P-JtcwRB7COlBrCdpo1s0LlXW6gFjLv_K2CJEBMfS4xjTwD12K56K5q2BFVDw8rPc/s1600/1613908132102708-0.png" width="400"> </a> </div><br></h1></header><div class="entry-content mh-clearfix"><h3>Seeks amendment of ECOWAS protocol to block them</h3><p>The Federal Government, yesterday, addressed the issue of  insecurity facing Nigeria, saying some of that the bandits and criminal herdsmen terrorising the country are non-Nigerians.</p><p>Consequently, the government said it is seeking amendment of  the ECOWAS Protocol on  free movement of human and cattle within the sub-region.</p><p>This came on the heels of the spate of kidnappings and banditry across the country, the latest of which was the mass abduction in Kagara, Niger State, last Wednesday.</p><p>The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, disclosed this  when he featured on Channels Television programme ‘Sunrise Daily.’</p><p>According to the Minister, bandits and criminal herdsmen coming into the country through the land borders could not be checked because of the ECOWAS Protocol that allows trans-human.</p><p>“The ECOWAS Protocols allows trans-human between all the ECOWAS countries. That is why we are thinking of seriously reviewing the ECOWAS Protocols in that respect. What we find out today is that a lot of criminalities have been introduced through the herdsmen and trans-human,” he said.</p><p>According to him, the criminal herdsmen and bandits also have access to sophisticated weapons because of the proliferation and smuggling of small arms and light weapons across the sub-region.</p><p>“The issue of smuggling of small and light arms is a very serious one and it has to do with border control. If you go and build a house in the slum as a rich man, poor people will not allow you to rest. Nigeria is surrounded by countries that are either poor or land-locked,” Mohammed  said.</p><p>“We say we want to develop our local agriculture to ensure food sufficiency, by encouraging our farmers to grow rice, maize, cassava and stop importation of rice.</p><p>“But our neighbour, the Benin Republic says  no, because they make their living from the duties they collect from their ports. So, when we are charging 70 per cent duties on imported rice to discourage importation, they will charge five per cent.</p><p>“All the rice smugglers from Thailand and the rest of the world will come to Benin Republic, but the rice is destined for Nigeria market.’</p><p>Mohammed said the security challenges including, farmer-herders clashes, insurgency, banditry and kidnapping in the country did not start during the administration.</p><p>The Minister pointed  out that the challenges built-up gradually over many years with certain factors including climate change, urbanisation and the shrinking of Lake Chad which supported agriculture of seven countries in the sub-region.</p></div>

“Bandits, Criminal Herdsmen Are Not Nigerians” — FG

Seeks amendment of ECOWAS protocol to block them The Federal Government, yesterday, addressed the issue of  insecurity facing Ni...

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Bandits Strike Again, Abduct Katsina Monarch, 13 Others

<header class="entry-header mh-clearfix"><p class="mh-meta entry-meta"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WlTiJZTLGmGxFD51qJqqVvW709jl8BAxLjzvbvih0eqb_wdrurGShXRd0HVfbXOZO9-XkHp4T00a4eEVt_LRfu0kwGb7fRR0kBHrfrGI4MuIKscjYJUzu2PQy2GtiVTzdw26gBDM677r/s1600/1613908037033132-0.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WlTiJZTLGmGxFD51qJqqVvW709jl8BAxLjzvbvih0eqb_wdrurGShXRd0HVfbXOZO9-XkHp4T00a4eEVt_LRfu0kwGb7fRR0kBHrfrGI4MuIKscjYJUzu2PQy2GtiVTzdw26gBDM677r/s1600/1613908037033132-0.png" width="400"> </a> </div><br></p></header><div class="entry-content mh-clearfix"><div class="addtoany_share_save_container addtoany_content addtoany_content_top"></div><p>Amid anxiety over the fate of abducted students of Government College, Kagara, Niger State, bandits struck again in neigbourbing Katsina State, abducting a monarch and 13 others in two separate attacks.</p><p>The gunmen were said to have kidnapped the 91-year-old traditional ruler of Kunduru community on Friday night.</p><p>Sunday Vanguard learned that the victim who is the Galadiman Kunduru is the father of the Secretary to Katsina State Government, Alhaji Kasimu Ibrahim.</p><p>The monarch was whisked away by the gunmen who stormed the town on motorcycles</p><p>One of his children who pleaded for anonymity, confirmed the incident to Sunday Vanguard yesterday, adding that the incident had already been reported to the Police.</p><p>The nonagenarian was said to be having health challenges.</p><p>Sources also said the abductors had not made any contact with the family.</p><p>As of press time, the Permanent Secretary could not be reached as phone calls to his mobile phone were not replied to.</p><p>When contacted, spokesman for the Katsina State Police Command, Superintendent of Police, Gambo Isah, said he was not aware of the incident.null</p><p>“I am not aware of that incident,” he told Sunday Vanguard.</p><p>In a related development, gunmen kidnapped 13 travellers in Faskari Local Government Area of the state.</p><p>The victims were made up of 12 women and the driver of the vehicle they were travelling in.</p><p>Isah also confirmed the incident, saying the bandits struck at 10: am on February 17, 2021.</p><p>He explained that the victims were travelling to Funtua from Mai Gora to collect loans from a bank provided through a family support programme.</p><p>The Police spokesman said three persons later escaped from the bandits.</p><p>He added that the Police were making efforts to ensure that abductees were rescued alive.</p><p>According to him:</p><p>“it’s not true that seventeen women going for a wedding were abducted.</p><p>“What happened was that thirteen women from Mai Gora were travelling to Funtua for this family support loan facilities from a bank, somewhere before Dan Rimi village, these bandits came from the bush and shot at the tyres of the vehicle they were traveling in, forcing the driver to stop. Three women escaped while the remaining nine and the driver were abducted.</p><p>“We are making serious efforts to ensure that the nine women and the driver who are still in captivity are rescued alive. The incident happened at 10 a.m.”</p><p>Residents said the bandits were yet to contact any of the families of the victims as of press time.</p><p><strong>CREDIT: Vanguard</strong></p></div>

Bandits Strike Again, Abduct Katsina Monarch, 13 Others

Amid anxiety over the fate of abducted students of Government College, Kagara, Niger State, bandits struck again in neigbourbing...

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