Niger Communities Negotiate With Bandits To Avoid Attacks

Following massive attacks by bandits on Bagna village in Erena, Shiroro local government area of Niger State over the week, the communities are said to be negotiating with the bandits to avoid further attacks.

Our correspondent gathered that the community members have established a channel of dialogue and negotiation with the bandits to avoid attacking their villages and farms.

It was learnt that some communities contribute about N10 million or N20 million to the bandits who are said to have camps in Katsina State.

Sources said communities which refused to enter into agreement with the bandits have suffered serious attacks while hundreds of women and children were abducted and taken to their camps in Katsina State.

A villager who preferred anonymity said, “They don’t have a camp in Niger State, sometimes they move with the help of informants and when comfortable for them they take over a community and sleep over.”

It was learnt that the recent attack on Bagna in Erena was due to the refusal of people of the community to contribute money for them.

Sources  from the community said; “Some people within the community usually negotiate for the bandits and when the  people refused to comply and pay them they launch attacks dastardly, they burn house and  farms and even vehicles and rustle cattle, you know the people are good farmers and have herds  of cattle.”

Confirming this to LEADERSHIP Weekend, the chairman of Shiroro local government council, Hon Isyaku Bawa,  said, “They don’t attack villagers who agree to dialogue with them, the bandits usually come from Katsina State.”

He said apart from the Bagna in Erena attacks, no other attack had taken place this week, adding that there was no attack on Bassa area as being  speculated and  the government was  trying to take care of the victims of the last attacks.

Meanwhile, the deputy governor, Comrade Yakubu Garba who visited the Bagna and Erena communities attacked on Monday has decried the activities of informants.

He said the informants living in the same community with the victims were helping the bandits in their attacks, making the fight against banditry difficult.