Residents of at least 23 local government areas (LGAs) in Sokoto, Zamfara, and Kebbi states are battling to survive as kidnappers, cattle rustlers, and bandits have made life difficult for them.

A check by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) indicates that residents of the affected areas have either been forced to migrate, enter into an agreement with the criminals or live a life of uncertainty.

*Sokoto

In Sokoto State, residents said local government areas worst affected are Isa, Sabon Birni, Gwadabawa, Illela, Tangaza, and Goronyo.

NAN gathered that residents had been forced to abandon their farms, while some villages had been deserted across the affected LGAs.

Malam Abubakar Bawa, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ahmed Aliyu, said that the state government was aware of the enormity of the situation.

“We are giving priority to ensuring a safe environment. Addressing security challenges has remained top on our administration’s nine-point agenda.

“Our target as a government is to ensure that citizens sleep with their two eyes close and continue to live and relate peacefully with one another,” he said.

He assured that the Nigerian Army, Police, and other security agencies have been sustaining efforts to secure the areas.

The governor’s spokesman said the government would continue to provide all necessary support for the security agencies to address the challenges.

Also, the spokesman of the Sokoto State Police Command, ASP Ahmad Rufai, said the Commissioner of Police, Mr Ali Kaigama, has been engaging residents to facilitate the flow of actionable information to address banditry and other criminalities.

He said the command had adopted measures deployed personnel and materials, and had been collaborating with other security agencies to end banditry and other criminalities in the state.

The police spokesman said local governments in eastern parts of Sokoto state were mostly affected by the security challenges.

Tinubu effects cabinet changes

*Zamfara

In Zamfara, a civil society activist, Mr Faruk Shehu, said many communities in the 14 LGAs of the state have been displaced, with residents of Maru, Anka, Shinkafi, Maradun, Zurmi, Gusau, and Bungudu LGAs, worst affected.

He said that previous attempts at dialogue with the bandits had failed, resulting in the escalation of the security challenges in the state.

“The security challenges in the state started as cattle rustling and later transformed into banditry and kidnapping,” Shehu said.

He expressed the hope that the ongoing engagement started by Gov. Dauda Lawal with the military and other security agencies would lead to an escalation of attacks on the bandits to secure the areas they have dominated.

Already, the state government has been emphatic that there will be no peace deal with the bandits.

This was emphasised by the Secretary to the State Government, Malam Abubakar Nakwada, who said the government will never dialogue with the bandits as done by previous administrations.

Nakwada added that the state governor would support security agencies and community groups to bring the criminals to their knees.

*Kebbi

The situation in Kebbi has already claimed the lives of at least 2,500 people between 2019 and 2023, according to Mr Bamaiyi An’iko, the Secretary of the Zuru Development Foundation.

An’iko said that 2,500 people were killed in Danko, Wasagu, Fakai, Sakaba, and Zuru LGAs, all under Zuru Emirate.

He said bandits have been attacking and displacing rural communities in the emirate, adding that some communities around Bena, Danko, Wasagu had come under siege or total control of the bandits.

“Some communities had to sign an agreement with the bandits,” the foundation secretary said.

“There are a lot of Internally Displaced Persons requiring urgent provision of relief materials, including food and toiletries, clothes and mats.”

He urged the state government and other agencies not to relent in providing relief assistance to the IDPs.

An’iko commended the efforts of the military, police, and other security agencies working to restore peace in Kebbi.

The state Deputy Governor, Senator Umar Tafida, assured that the government was determined to end the security challenges.

Tafida also said the government would continue to provide support for victims of bandits’ attacks who have been forced to leave their homes.

According to him, the government is worried over the recurring banditry attacks which have led to loss of lives, destruction of properties, and a negative impact on farming activities.

“The state government under the leadership of Dr Nasir Idris, will leave no stone unturned in making sure that banditry comes to an end in the state.

”Communities should assist security agencies with credible intelligence information to fish out the bandits to bring them to justice,” the deputy governor added.

He warned that the government would deal decisively with informants or anyone caught conniving with bandits.

Also, Ahmad Idris, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, said apart from Zuru Emirate, the government had deployed troops to three local government areas under Yauri Emirate also facing challenges from bandits.

“The government is doing its best to ensure that the situation is fully tackled,” he added.

A community leader, Alhaji Sani Umar-Jabbi, said there was a need to prioritise community engagement in tackling security challenges in the country.

He said that apart from an attitudinal change among Nigerians, the country should come up with a policy to stem population growth.

Umar-Jabbi, who is the District Head of Gagi in Sokoto State, said that the unplanned population has contributed to the escalation of the crisis due to shrinking farmlands, grazing areas, and other natural resources.

Tinubu names minister for N’ Delta, reshuffles three ministers-designate

By Cross Udo, Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has approved the redeployment of Abubakar Momoh from the Federal Ministry of Youth to the Ministry of Niger Delta Development.

The President also made a minor amendment to the ministry’s nomenclature from Niger Delta Affairs to Niger Delta Development.

This was contained in a statement issued last night by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.

The statement said that the Federal Ministry of Youth will be reassigned to a Minister-Designate soon.

Tinubu also reshuffled the Ministers-Designate allocated to the Federal Ministries of Transportation, Interior, and Marine & Blue Economy.

In the new arrangement, Adegboyega Oyetola is redeployed as the Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Bunmi Tunji-Ojo is redeployed as the Minister of Interior, while Sa’idu Alkali is redeployed as the Minister of Transportation

Furthermore, both Ministers of State in the Oil & Gas sector are now domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources with Senator Heineken Lokpobiri as the Minister of State (Oil), Petroleum Resources and Ekperipe Ekpo as the Minister of State (Gas), Petroleum Resources.

According to the statement, “The President approves the renaming of the Federal Ministry of Environment and Ecological Management as the Federal Ministry of Environment.

“All aforementioned changes take immediate effect by these directives of the President.”