Kebbi Deputy Gov Refutes Claims of Bandit-Controlled Villages
The Kebbi State Government has refuted a recent online report alleging that bandits had taken control of some villages in the state, appointing their own village heads and adjudicating in Sharia courts.
At a news briefing in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday, the state Deputy Governor, Sen. Umar Abubakar-Tafida, dismissed the report as false and baseless. “There is no single village, in the whole of Kebbi State, where bandits are in charge of Sharia courts or have appointed village heads of their choice. The report is false, with no iota of truth; this is just the imagination of writers of such online news,” he stated.
Abubakar-Tafida further clarified that while bandits may infiltrate from neighbouring states and Niger Republic, they do not have a base or camp within Kebbi. “We do not have a bandit base or camp in Kebbi. These marauders infiltrated from neighbouring states, and from Niger Republic to Kebbi through their informants to strike and retreat,” he explained.
fice Assuring the public of the state government’s commitment to combating banditry, the Deputy Governor revealed that proactive measures had been taken. “The delegation sent by the state government under the leadership of the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu, to meet with the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has held a fruitful discussion with the military high-command on ways to wipe out banditry and insurgency in Kebbi, Northwest, and the North generally,” he noted.
Abubakar-Tafida also provided an update on the support for victims of a recent bandit attack. “So far, N92.5 million has been disbursed to the families of victims who lost their lives in the bandits’ attack on Friday, Nov. 7. Gov. Nasir Idris donated N50 million, Sen. Bagudu gave N30 million, members of the National Assembly from the state donated N10 million, and Minister of State for Humanitarian Services, Dr. Tanko Sununu, donated N2.5 million to the families,” he said.
The Deputy Governor expressed gratitude to those who had supported the victims and visited Mera in Augie Local Government Area, highlighting the collective effort to assist those affected by the attack. Wema Bank Wins Big at Global Retail Banking Awards
