Fish sellers operating at the bank of River Kaduna near Zungeru town in Niger state have taken Governor Abubakar Sani Bello to routes used by bandits to launch dreaded attacks on surrounding communities without the presence of police and other security agencies.
The governor was said to have stopped at the spot while returning from a function in Mariga local government of the state before the fishermen dramatically showed him the bandits’ route.
One of them, who identified himself as Adamu and spoke in Hausa, said, “This is the route the bandits usually follow to attack us. They come through this route and go back through it. They have no other route, this is the only route.”
The governor asked the people if they had reported this to the security agents in the area to enable them take action.
He was however shocked when they replied that no security agent had ever come to do any investigation since the incidents of kidnap started in the area.
The governor, apparently surprised, turned to his special adviser on security, Brigadier General Imam (rtd), who was in the governor’s entourage, asking him if he was aware that no security agent had visited the area despite series of bandits attacks as alleged by the people.
However, the security adviser explained that the sophisticated weapons being paraded by the bandits are responsible for the inability of the security agencies to go after the bandits.
Governor Bello was said to have been livid with his adviser on security, asking him to explain sources of security report he filed to Governor’s office.
He said, “If no security agent has come here to get first hand information on these attacks, then where are they getting their security reports from? That means they are left to their fate. I am highly disappointed from what I am hearing today.”
