Bandits have lost rights to life under the constitution, they should be wiped out – Gov el’Rufai
Governor of Kaduna state, Nasir el’Rufai, had Thursday said all armed bandits and insurgents do not have protection under the constitution of Nigeria, as such they “should be wiped out”.
HmmMr el’Rufai made this statement during the Kaduna Townhall meeting on national security organised by the federal ministry of information.
The town hall meeting was themed: “Setting Benchmark for Enhanced and National Unity in Nigeria”.
Mr el’Rufai said; ”The bandits are at war with Nigeria and there is no other way to approach the current insurgency but for security forces to take the war to the bandits and recover forests where they are occupying.
“The security agencies mostly react to cases of banditry and abduction, we are in a war with these terrorist challenging the sovereignty of the Nigerian state.
“Our security forces must collaborate to take the war to the bandits and terrorist, recover and restore the forest to enable our law-abiding citizens to engage in legitimate farming and livestock production.
“No one in a position of responsibility can deny the need for sustained action, against criminals.
The governor said security strategies that were more assertive would paralyze the criminals and “reassure ordinary citizens.”
The Kaduna state governor added that government must point out and tackle “non-state actors and others challenging the existence of the country.”
To the security forces, he advised that they should increase surveillance “and be well equipped” to deal with the insurgency, even as he urged the judiciary decentralised its operations so that justice can be served.
“To address the banditry prevalent in the north-west and north-central, we must implement the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) produced four years ago to enable accelerated investment in modern animal husbandry, incorporating the rapid sedentarisation of herders in known locations”, he said.
The Kaduna state governor had exemplified his disgust for bandits and their ilk when he stood his ground against paying ransom for the release of some abducted college students, some of which are still in captivity about three weeks after they were taken.
