Story from Abdullahi TUKUR, Kebbi
The Chairman, Hired Trucks Association Bena branch in Danko, Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, Alhaji Salihu Mohammed Bena, has appealed to Kebbi State Government to tackle the insecurity situation in the area where bandits are now recruiting youth to be trained in handling weapons.
Alhaji Salihu Bena stated this in an interview through a phone call with Radio Nigeria in Birnin Kebbi, who said bandits are now occupying over twenty-five communities in the Bena axis of the state.
He explained that bandits have now become an authority by imposing a levy on any driver coming or going through communities they were occupying in the area.
“The bandits will direct any driver or persons coming into the village they are occupying to give them food and recharge card or they will kill him”.
According to him, the people of the area are predominantly farmers but cannot afford to go to their farms due to the current security situation, saying most people have migrated to Bena town.
He lamented that, by the next farming season, people of the area would not be able to go to farm if the security situation does not improve.
The Chairman revealed that the bandits are indigenes of the area but invited foreigners to be part of them in committing criminal activities.
He disclosed that, on their part as a union, they have arrested over fifty criminals trying to sell stolen cows at their park and handed them over to the relevant authority.
Alhaji Bena pointed out that the Military and Police were deployed to Bena town but cannot withstand the bandits.
Bena town shares a boundary with Zamfara and Niger state.
