Bandits, who used to terrorise residents of Birnin-Gwari, a town in Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State are now stealing food from small stalls to service, Herald Nigeria has learnt.
The Emir of Birnin-Gwari, Alhaji Zubair Jibril-MaiGwari ll, revealed this during a visit by the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Ali Aji-Janga .
He said, “The bandits are only carrying out their operations in secluded areas where there are small markets stalls and steal food in order to survive, they are hungry, they don’t have time to kill people again.
“If the police should restrategise, little effort will only be needed to scrap them off, they don’t have much weapons, they are hidden in obvious hideouts.
“We now have three extra police divisions in the local government area. We earlier had four. The police personnel are not many but they are trying their possible best to curtail any kind of criminal activity in the local government.
“We are aware of the challenges faced by the police. We know you can’t instantly deploy police officers to us but the few we have are putting in their best in the fight against criminality in the areas.
“We have had a lot of CPs in the state. I have worked with about 20 while on the throne. We gave them all the support they needed to combat crime in our communities. We also pledge to give you our maximum support.”
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In his reaction, Aji-Janga said, “The problems of banditry in Birnin-Gwari is one among the major problems we have at heart, we would be ready fully prepared and come to synergies with the vigilante groups and raid their hideouts.
“We assure the people of Birnin Gwari that the issue of banditry in the local government will soon become an issue of the past. We will go after them into the bush. We will engage them and blood will flow.
“A week ago, we met with the Inspector General of Police at Abuja, he spoke on concrete plans especially for Birnin-Gwari to curtail the criminal activities and banditry in the area and other states in Nigeria facing such problems of insecurity.
“The comprehensive operations order would be carried out simultaneously in Birnin-Gwari and other states affected by similar challenges across Nigeria.”