Some time ago, the Hausa Service of Deutsche Welle Radio reported how residents of communities along the Nigeria/Republic of Niger border in Katsina and Zamfara States relied more on Nigerien soldiers whenever they are under bandits attacks.
The member representing Jibia in the Katsina State House of Assembly, Hon. Mustapha Yusuf, raised the matter on the floor of the house, lamenting the incessant attacks and how Nigerien soldiers were more reliable in the event of attacks on Nigerians.
Investigations by the Abuja-based Daily Trust revealed that though there is a relative reduction in the spate of attacks around the area, the trend remains relatively the same as residents confirmed that they still prefer to call on Nigerien troops for help.
A resident of Jibia who claimed that the Nigerien soldiers were given up to 30 kilometres, within which they could operate on the Nigerian soil, said the Nigerien security forces were more prompt and bold in confronting the bandits.
“It is still the same thing. We prefer to call Nigerien soldiers for three main reasons; one, they respond immediately whenever we call them. Two, they come while the attack is ongoing, unlike our security forces that will arrive hours after the attackers have gone, if at all they will come, and three, they confront the attackers boldly, kill some, chase some away, arrest some as well as rescue people and rustled animals,” the resident said.
A community leader in Jibia, who pleaded for anonymity, also confirmed the report, saying, “What we understand is that there must be synergy between the Nigerian government and that of Niger Republic as without that the Nigerien security forces cannot come into Nigeria and operate.
“But the advantage of the Nigerien forces is that they respond to distress calls at any time of the day; be it morning, evening, or night. I remember recently, the attackers came to some villages along Katsina-Zamfara road and met farmers on their farms. They attacked them and collected their cattle. But when they called the Nigerien soldiers, they arrived immediately, killed three of the bandits, arrested four, and recovered the cattle. That was not the first time as it has happened time and again,” he said.
Nigeria-Niger border
He added that recently, Nigerien soldiers were seen on patrol from Kukar Na Baushe to Zango, and passed through Tsambaye villages (comprising about four Tsambe villages) and arrived at Tagwaye village close to Shimfida, which is an area terrorized by bandits and has become more or less their base.
“They were on patrol and were brave enough to confront the bandits. The gunmen always tried to run away whenever they sighted the Nigerien security forces,” he said.
A resident of Gurbi said since Niger Republic brought more soldiers to its border area, there has been a decrease in attacks from bandits.
“About two weeks ago, a man was kidnapped, but when the Nigerien soldiers were called, they came and went after the kidnappers, but because they used bikes they were able to escape with the victim as the vehicle of the soldiers could not pass through a bike path, but at least we know they did their best,” he said.
“Our main concern is that the locations of the bandits are known, so why shouldn’t our security forces take the fight to the criminals’ enclave? Why always wait and respond after they have struck? Whenever they come out, we will report, but nothing is done to the extent that we no longer report most of the attacks as we have lost hope,” he said.
We paid N6m ransom and N100,000 Sallah gift to bandits’ leader
A resident of Shimfida village said two women were kidnapped around the area and the villagers had to mobilize N6 million ransom plus some foodstuff including spaghetti, cooking oil and Onga seasoning cubes as well as N100,000 as ‘barka da Sallah’ gift, all given to the abductors before they released the captives.
He said “even today, a ransom of N450,000 was taken to bandits for the release of another man. Those who took the ransom are yet to return with the victim. Frankly, we have given up all hope; we only believe that whoever has some more days to live will live.”
How bandits’ leader sermons villagers to cultivate his farms
Some residents of Birane village in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, who came to Jibia, told our reporter that a bandit leader in their area called villagers around the area to go and cultivate his farms.
“The first day, about 50 people honoured the invitation and the bandit leader was furious that only about 50 answered his call. He threatened to disperse the whole area and the villagers had to beg him and mobilize more people. On the second day about 300 people participated in the farm work because they want to have the chance to cultivate their farm,” he said.
However, when contacted, the member representing Jibia in the state Assembly, Hon. Mustapha Yusuf, on why the situation remained the same, he said, “Actually we have seen some improvement. Whenever I receive the report of an attack, I call our security men and they usually respond promptly, but that is not to say we are there yet as there are still pockets of attacks particularly in the villages.”
“Only about five days ago, gunmen in their numbers attacked Kukar Babangida, a town along Katsina-Jibia road, killed one person and carted away more than 300 cattle and smaller animals. They conducted a house-to-house search where they rustled all the animals in sight.
We called the security men, they engaged them in a shootout but they were not able to recover the animals. That is the situation and we hope that our security forces will be more up and doing,” he said.
It is not yet uhuru – Gov’t, Police
However, Katsina State government and the state police command believe that some successes have been recorded in the ongoing fight against banditry in the state as security agencies are doing their best to curb the situation. They however admit that the successes don’t call for celebration.
In a recent interview with our reporter, the Special Adviser to Governor Masari on Security Matters, Alhaji Ibrahim Katsina, said there were indeed successes recorded by the security agencies, but they were by divine intervention. He said the state was also able to put a lot of measures in place to tame the security situation.
“We give glory to God first of all for the decrease in attacks, kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state, because it is by His divine intervention. Secondly, we have put in a lot of measures, especially through synergy with security agencies and other relevant stakeholders, including the inauguration of the 3-tier security structure and other forms of enlightenment that cumulatively assist us,” he said.
Ibrahim, who is a security expert, said the situation did not call for celebration, adding that the tempo needed to be sustained.
“It is a challenge on us to do more. I am glad that the public is appreciating that some successes have been recorded, but we will not relent.
“Instead of celebration, the successes recorded call for gratitude to God. It gives us hope, so we should be grateful to Almighty God for assisting us to achieve such success. But it is not yet Uhuru; it is not over yet until it is over.
“We want our people to go back to their farms peacefully, we want them to go back to their normal businesses peacefully, then we can celebrate, but now we are grateful to God for the relative peace achieved,” he said.
On his part, the police spokesman in Katsina, SP Gambo Isah, attributed the successes recorded to the massive deployment of men and equipment to the state.
He said bandits still occupy the forests from where they launched attacks on villages, therefore it was not yet time for celebration.
This story first appeared in Daily Trust, https://dailytrust.com/why-we-rely-on-nigerien-soldiers-during-attacks-katsina-residents