President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a military crackdown on bandits terrorising communities in Niger State, his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity Garba Shehu said in a statement yesterday.
Shehu said the directive to launch a major military campaign in the Northcentral state was handed over to the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) by the President.
The President’s order came barely two weeks after the Federal Government published the court order classifying bandits, kidnappers and others as terrorists into a Gazette.
It also came on a day that gunmen killed three and abducted 28 people in Farin-Shinge, Kulho, Jigawa, Dogo Fadama communities of Mashegu local government areas of Niger State.
The rampaging gunmen reportedly demanded for seven 50 litres of fuel, packs of Viju Milk and other drinks as a ransom for the abductees from Farin-Shinge community.
Niger State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Wasiu Abiodun, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) confirmed the attack in Jigawa and Kulho communities.
He said 15 people were abducted in the Kulho attack “on 14/01/2022 at about 1300hrs, suspected armed bandits/terrorists entered Mashegu village through Jigawa area of Mashegu and rustled a yet to be ascertained number of cattle, while they broke a provision shop at Kawo village.
According to the Gazette signed by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) and published on June 5, bandits, anybody or group found guilty of all the offences will face trial under Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011.
Other offences punishable under the gazette, include kidnapping for ransom, kidnapping for marriage, mass abduction of school children and other citizens, cattle rustling, enslavement, imprisonment and severe deprivation of physical liberty.
Those who will face the wrath of the law are perpetrators of torture, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, other forms of sexual violence, attacks and killings in communities and other commuters and wanton destruction of lives and properties in Nigeria.
The Gazette, which came five years after the classification of Boko Haram insurgents as terrorists, set the state for the deployment of the Super Tucano fighter jets in the battle against bandits.