Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, on Tuesday, said 255 people were killed in the state while an average of nine persons were kidnapped daily in 2021.
el-Rufai, who spoke while presenting the 2021 security report in Kaduna, said the killing and kidnap mostly happened in the Kaduna Central senatorial district.
He said bandits and criminal gangs were responsible for killing and kidnap.
He stressed that the number of victims escalated compared to that of 2020, adding this was “in spite of our best efforts in supporting the federal security agencies to bring an end to this phenomenon.”
Lamenting the ugly trend, the governor noted: “Like the 2020 maiden edition, the report is a sobering reading because it is a factual account of a challenging situation. Its pages contain hard data which reflect the pains inflicted on our people across the state by criminals and outlaws. The report also provides background and an update on the steps being taken by the Kaduna State Government to manage this serious challenge.”
He prayed for the repose of the souls of those killed, just as he paid tribute to the victims of various crimes, while reaffirming his government resolve to protect the people, and stop the criminals.
He appealed to the federal government to create a Theatre Command similar to the situation in the North-East to confront the insurgency that had emerged in five states of the North-West and Niger State.
He noted that the creation of such a Theatre Command will enable holistic approach to counter-insurgent operations across the six affected states and the enhanced coordination of the resources of the Armed Forces, the Police, the SSS, and the respective state vigilance services, including hunters and other local volunteers to fight the insurgents.
He emphasised that the victims of the insurgency were not of a particular religion or ethnic group. “The victims of these outlaws cut across our state, though we note the persistence of certain narratives that try to coat sheer criminality in ethno-religious or regional hues, depending on the identity of the victims.
“As a sub-national, the Kaduna State Government has always used the limited tools available to it to address these dire times. Since 2015, we have supported the federal security agencies deployed in our state with vehicles and other logistics. Security incidents in the 2016-2019 period ranged from communal clashes to cattle-rustling, kidnappings, robberies and murders. Lessons learned from managing these incidents during our first-term informed our decision to establish the first sub-national Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs at the beginning of our second-term in 2019.
“The mandate of the Ministry is to manage the state government’s relationship with the federal security agencies deployed in the state and to coordinate their activities towards securing our people in an atmosphere of unprecedented challenges. This entails building strong relationships with these agencies. Through the Ministry, the state is deepening intelligence gathering from communities. It also runs the 24-hour Security Operations Room,” he said.
The governor said it was imperative for the five frontline states in the North-west zone and Niger State to continue to share information and press for the security agencies for a sustained campaign of continuous, simultaneous operations against terrorists across the vast region.
He noted the states had implemented several measures, including the telecoms shutdown as recommended by the security agencies to enable kinetic operations. “We commend our people for the sacrifices they made during the shutdown. I want to reiterate that some of the measures like prohibition of (a) the sale of petroleum products, (b) operation of weekly markets in selected areas, and (c) use of motorcycles remain in place until we see clear progress in the fight against the terrorists.”
The governor called for urgent national effort to strengthen the security forces. “The military and police need modern technology, advanced armaments, equipment and more boots on the ground. The security of our communities depends on the robust projection of state power, and that can only be done with sufficient security personnel to overawe and deter criminals. The prerogatives of the state need to be asserted, not merely proclaimed. The people we put in uniform must never be placed in avoidable danger, outgunned or outnumbered by non-state actors.
“It is when the terrorists are decimated that ‘soft’, non-kinetic peace building will gain traction. Part of the soft tools we have developed in Kaduna State is the Peace Commission, empowered to engage our communities and incline them towards a peaceful resolution of differences. We are also supporting the House of Kaduna Family as a vital platform for religious leaders to promote a common humanity across our diversity.
Speaking on the unending crises rocking Zangon-Kataf community, he said: “We note with sadness once again, the escalation of violence in Zangon-Kataf Chiefdom, which appears to be rapidly spilling into the Chawai part of Kauru Local Government. We condemn the disregard for human lives and the violations of law that are fuelling the crisis. We sympathise with the affected communities. This outbreak of violence is a serious challenge to the community level peace process initiated by His Highness, the Agwam of Zangon Kataf and community leaders in the area. While the security agencies keep trying their best, the peacemakers on the ground should not be discouraged. Peace is worth every effort, despite the setbacks encountered.
“We continue to emphasise that as a state government, we do not believe that there is any phenomenon like ‘repentant bandits’. Any person that makes a conscious decision to secure arms, challenge the authority of the Nigerian state, and threatens the lives and property of Nigerians does not deserve to live, or be granted any concession by the society. There are no immediate or remote causes to justify terrorist conduct. Those that hide behind these are either ethnic jingoists, religious apologists or fail to recognise that no legitimate government can survive by tolerating terrorists or negotiating with those that menace law-abiding citizens.
“While acknowledging their efforts and sacrifices of lives and limb, we therefore urge our military, police and other security agencies to ensure coordinated actions and intensify simultaneous kinetic operations against these terrorists until they are decimated to the point of surrender.”
He expressed appreciation to the security agencies, particularly the Army, Air Force, Navy, Police, Civil Defence, SSS, our State Vigilance Service and KASTLEA for constant collaboration with the state Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs in securing the state.
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