Niger: Operatives Crack Down On Bandits Luring Villagers With Cash For Food

Following the report that bandits were forcing members of Dakera Communities in Borgu local government area of Niger State to collect money and purchase items for them; joint security operatives have beefed up security in the area and cracked down on them and their accomplices.

LEADERSHIP findings at the weekend revealed that the security operation that lasted two days forced the bandits out and foiled the plans to use the members of Dakera district to supply them with food items they use in their camps.

It was learnt that bandits suspected to have camps inside Kainji lake forest in Borgu local government area of Niger state  and have being terrorising communities in Borgu and Agwara local government areas tried to use members of the communities in Dakera District to mass purchase food and other items.

LEADERSHIP reported that same time last year some bandits had abducted the Head of the Dakera district and others who resisted their plan to use the adjoining forest as base.

It was learnt that the bandits found the area better operational base because of its terrain and boundary with Babbanna District located at the border of Nigeria with Benin Republic.

Consequently they approached some  villagers in Gbenji-Gidazana , Kpeya, Biyan and Giragbasso-Imile in Dekara district to purchase food items and other valuables using them as conduit to escape from security operatives.

It was learnt that while few complied and became accomplices some reported to the security operatives, who moved swiftly and stopped the supply chain and went after the bandits and the few who complied.

Sources in the village hinted that the Bandits who entered the communities on hundreds of motorcycles shared N3.8 million and N2.3 million to Gbenji-Gidazana  and Kpeya, Biyan communities respectively.

It was learnt that they met their waterloo when they made attempts to come back to the communities to collect their supplies as the security operatives swung into action and neutralised unspecified number of the bandits.

When contacted the District Head of Dekara Mallam Adamu Haruna, confirmed that there were bandits along the Kainji lake liaison with some members of the district they wanted used to purchase food and other items but the people refused to comply and the case was reported to the authorities for action.

The District Head said that they immediately informed the government and the operatives about the security situation in the area and actions were taken.

The Commissioner of Homeland Security Niger state Barrister Maurice Magaji confirmed that the incident was reported by the villagers about ten days ago “We moved proactively and also sensitised the villagers on the danger of the new strategy adopted by the bandits.”

“You can imagine where something cost N50 and somebody is offering N100 for same thing, you should know something is wrong and the person is desperate,” he said.

According to him, “The bandits wanted to lure the villagers and capitalized on the gullibility and greed of some of the people but luckily the villagers reported promptly and the security operatives swung into action, I can tell you we were proactive and it has been nipped in the bud.”

He said the government has sensitised the people to immediately report any of such incidents of bulk purchases that were suspicious, so that actions could be taken immediately.