Niger State Governor Bago vows not to negotiate with bandits
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State has declared a hard-line security policy in response to escalating attacks by bandits across the state. During a visit to the communities of Rijau and Magama Local Government Areas — which recently experienced violent incursions by armed groups — Governor Bago announced that his administration will neither negotiate with nor pay ransom to bandit gangs.
He emphasised that the moment ransom payments begin, kidnappings would “open shop” in the state, turning the crime into a thriving business. “I will not negotiate with bandits. I will not pay ransom,” he stated. “The moment we start paying, they will open shop on our heads and keep kidnapping people.”
Governor Bago described the current security situation as akin to “a state of war,” noting that the constitution gives citizens the right to defend their lives and properties. He urged residents to stand up and protect their communities, warning that government resources alone are insufficient to tackle the crisis. He said: “We are surrounded by enemies, but we will not give up.”
In support of this stance, the governor announced plans to recruit and train 10,000 personnel into a state-backed Joint Task Force (JTF) designed to strengthen security operations across the state. He also declared a comprehensive ban on mining activities in the state’s Zone C — covering eight Local Government Areas including Magama, Kontagora, Rijau, Wushishi, Mariga, Borgu, Mashegu and Agwara — citing illegal mining as a major driver of the insecurity. “It is suspicious that miners can enter the forests freely, yet the bandits don’t touch them,” the governor noted.
Governor Bago further pledged support for victims of recent bandit attacks, promising compensation for families of the deceased, medical treatment for injured persons, and assistance for those who lost livelihoods. He described the frequent invasions, displacements and destructions in local communities as “embarrassing and unacceptable”.
