Residents of communities that have been taken over and hoisted flags by bandits in Shiroro Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State have abandoned any hope of government rescue and have begun negotiations of ceasefire deal with their attackers.
The communities have witnessed unrelenting bandits’ attacks for months with the intermittent loss of lives, injuries and abductions.
A Nigeria Police source said that already, the bandits are collecting taxes from the villagers.
Also, the Co-convener, Concerned Shiroro Youths, Sani Abubakar Yusuf Kokki, said that aprt from paying taxes, all the communities in Gurmana and Manta districts of Shiroro, have negotiated with bandits.
According to him, “virtually all Communities and Villages in Gurmana and Manta Districts of Shiroro local government, Niger State, have negotiated with terrorists for a ceasefire.
“They have reached agreement to paying a certain amount of money, among other conditions, including purchasing Honda Motorcycles for the bandits.
“Also, some Communities and Villages in Bassa/Kukoki Ward have have followed suit by agreeing to pay certain amount of money among others while the bandits suspend their nefarious activities,” he said.
Lamenting their plight, some residents said they prefer remitting revenue to bandits than government, if that is the only way for peace to reign in their communities, lamenting that their security and welfare has been abandoned by the federal, State and Local Governments.
The Niger State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, could not be reached for comments as of the time of filing this report as his mobile telephone was switched off.
This story first appeared in Daily Trust