•It’s not a new thing –Govt
The people of Kuduro community in Shiroro Local Government, Niger State, have sent save-our-souls (S0S) to Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago to come to their rescue over the imposition of restriction of movement by bandits.
The community said the bandits have barred them from accessing the only market in the area, the Saturday market in Zumba and were threatening to kill anyone who violates the instruction until their condition is met.
The bandits were said to have imposed the restriction following continuous seizure of cattle suspected to be stolen from members of the community by the security agents,who usually lay siege to the market.
It was gathered from some of the members of the community that the bandits said until the security agents stopped arresting the people and their animals in the market, they (bandits) would not allow anyone to go to the market with their goods.
A source at Zumba market, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being targeted, said any one found in the market with stolen cow is promptly arrested by security agents and made to pay between N100,000 and N200,000 to secure a bail while the cow is confiscated.
“This is what happens in market every market day. It is not only cow, even goats and sheep are found in the market, the security agents will arrest the owner and tell him that the animal is a stolen one, and he will be arrested and taken to the station where he will be asked to give statement and later asked to pay between N100, 000 and N200, 000 for bail, and the animal will be taken away from him. Because of the banditry in our communities in Shiroro LG, every animal found in the market, the security people will say it is a stolen one, whether anybody reported a stolen animal to them or not, this is our present dilemma ”, our source added.
He, however, said it is possible that some of the animals are stolen ones, but added that,“that is not enough reason to be arresting every person with either goat, sheep or cow in the market and asked them to bail themselves with N100,000 or N200,000 depending on the power of negotiation.”
This development, the people said, has put the entire community in a difficult situation as their economic lives have been seized by the bandits following their refusal to allow them access the markets.
It was further gathered that in the alternative, the bandits have asked the people to switch to Kwakwada market in Kaduna State, a distance of about 50 kilometers by foot since no vehicle can access the community, a condition the people rejected due to the distance.
The contentious Saturday market in Zumba is about 30 minutes boat ride across River Shiroro.
Speaking to our correspondent on phone, the District Head of Kuduro, Auta Doma confirmed the development, saying the story of his people is that of a man who finds himself between the devil and the deep blue sea.
He pointed out that for two months, the people have been barred from attending the Zumba market, the closest market to the community, as the bandits have insisted that until the security agents stopped arresting people with animals, they would not allow the community access the market.
Speaking to our correspondent in Hausa, the district head said the people were being treated like a scapegoats, adding that, “we don’t have the power to stop the security agents from arresting people with suspected animals in the market and the bandits said until the arrest is stopped, they would not allow anybody to access the market.
“Our economic and commercial lives have been seized from us. The entire community is in a dilemma and we don’t know what to do at the moment. That is why we’re calling on the government to help and rescue us from this unfortunate situation”, he lamented.
When contacted, Commissioner for Internal Security, Brigadier General Bello Abdullahi Mohammed (retd) neither confirmed nor denied the story, but said the state government is aware of all the security challenges in the state and is working hard to address them.
He said the issue of bandits imposing levies or restrictions on communities in the state is not a new thing but assured that “as a responsible government, we are not resting; we will ensure that the people of the state enjoy some relative peace.” (Daily sun)
