The emirs of Zazzau and Birnin-Gwari, Ahmed Nuhu-Bamalli and Zubairu Maigwari II, on Wednesday, lamented that their subjects have been paying hundreds of millions of Naira as ransom to rescue their loved ones from kidnappers in the state.
The emirs made the lamentation on Wednesday during the presentation of the state’s 2020 Annual Security Report to Governor Nasir El-Rufai, held at the Government House, Kaduna.
Speaking, Mr Maigwari lamented the effrontery with which the rampaging bandits operate in his domain.
He said: “It is terrible when you see 200 to 300 bandits with weapons surrounding a village and killings people and collecting their money. Our people paid hundreds of millions of naira as ransom.”
In his part, Mr Nuhu-Bamali, while commending the security agencies, said a lot needed to be done to secure the state from bandits.
He said: “We still have challenges in Zaria, Giwa because after 6pm some areas become no go area. There are other dangerous places.”
The traditional ruler of Zangon-Kataf, Agwatyap, Chief Dominic Yahaya, said despite occasional banditry and kidnappings in his domain, the peace committee he set up was not discouraged to ensure peace in the area.
Agwa tyap, Dominic Yahaya said: “However, when perpetrators are arrested and taken to the police, we don’t know what happened afterward.
“We will continue to tread the path of peace. We will continue to work very hard to ensure that there is no reprisal”.
Earlier, Mr El-Rufai restated his resolve not to negotiate with bandits, nor support any granting of amnesty to the criminals terrorising his state.
Mr El-Rufai stressed that bandits, cattle rustlers and armed militias must be degraded and decimated “to a state of unconditional submission to constituted authority”.
According to him, these criminals must be wiped out immediately and without hesitation.
He said: “Our position in Kaduna State has been clear, unequivocal and consistent. Bandits, cattle rustlers and armed militias must be degraded and decimated to a state of unconditional submission to constituted authority.
“We will neither negotiate with criminals of any description nor support any grant of amnesty.
“Criminal gangs, bandits, insurgents and ethnoreligious militias made a conscious choice to challenge Nigeria’s sovereignty and menace our citizens. These criminals must be wiped out immediately and without hesitation.”
