Rising Poverty, Unemployment Responsible for Insurgency, Katsina Gov, Radda, Asserts

•Police, army lose five officers after killing 30 bandits in state 

•Bandits raid two LGs in Niger, kill villagers

•Oyo procures two aircraft at N7.7b to battle insecurity, invests N595m in solar project

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan, Laleye Dipo in Minna and Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, has ascribed the prevailing insurgency and other criminalities bedeviling the country to rising poverty and unemployment.

He disclosed this yesterday evening when he received a delegation from the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), under the Office of the National Security Adviser, and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) at the Government House, Katsina.

The delegation was in the state to present a Sustainable Rehabilitation and Reintegration Project for Improved Livelihood and National Security, a joint initiative targeting conflict-affected communities.

The project, which already has a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) since May this year, aimed to promote economic empowerment using climate-smart integrated agriculture.

Meanwhile, five security men have lost their lives in a fierce gun battle with bandits in communities across Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Also, armed gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram elements have raided communities in two local governments of Niger State, killing no fewer than 30 persons most of them men of the local vigilance groups.

However, the Oyo State government, yesterday, said security would be beefed up in the state with the immediate procurement of two aircrafts to curb the menace of illegal miners, kidnappers and other forms of security threats, particularly in the vast inter land of the state.

Speaking on the state of the state, Radda said, “Insurgency thrives where economic hardship exists. If we must win the insecurity war, we must combine kinetic and non-kinetic approaches — and that begins with tackling poverty.”

He affirmed the state government’s support for the sustainable rehabilitation and reintegration project for improved livelihood and national security.

He, therefore, directed the state Ministry for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture and the Agricultural Development Unit to lead the state’s collaboration efforts.

Earlier, Denis Ozioko, who led the delegation from the NCTC, said the visit was to formally present the project to Radda following his absence during the signing of the memorandum of understanding.

On his part, Mr. Prakash Kantsilwal of IITA said the project would restore hope through sustainable farming, trade, and peaceful living for every family in the state.

Police, Army Lose Five Men, Kill 30 Bandits

Five security men have lost their lives to a fierce gun battle with bandits in communities across Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The slain security operatives, including three policemen and two soldiers, were among the security forces responding to a distress call at Kadisau, Raudama, and Sabon Layi.

A statement by the state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Mua’zu, revealed that two civilians were also killed during the gun battle.

He, however, disclosed that the joint security forces had successfully killed 30 armed bandits during the coordinated counter-operations in the affected communities.

He said the security operatives comprising the Police Mobile Force (PMF), military personnel and Nigerian Air Force engaged the hoodlums, who simultaneously attacked Kadisau, Raudama, and Sabon Layi on Tuesday evening.

Mua’zu, in the statement, said: “Upon receiving intelligence of these attacks, the security forces were immediately mobilised. Additional reinforcements from Dandume and the Nigerian Air Force were swiftly deployed to the affected areas.

“After intense confrontations, our gallant security forces successfully repelled the attackers, forcing them to retreat. 30 of the criminals were neutralised through coordinated air strikes as they attempted to escape.

“While we celebrate the bravery of our security personnel, we mourn the loss of heroes who paid the ultimate price in defending our communities.

“We lost three dedicated Police Mobile Force personnel: Inspector Suleiman Ibrahim, Inspector Bello Bala, and Corporal Mohammed Lawal, along with civilian Aliyu Sa’adu from Kadisau village.

“In Sabon Layi, two courageous soldiers made the supreme sacrifice, while Ya’u Aliyu sustained injuries and is currently receiving medical treatment.”

Niger: Bandits Raid Two LGs, Kill Villagers

Armed gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram members have raided communities in two local governments of Niger State,killing no fewer than 30 persons most of them men of the local vigilance groups.

The communities were in Borgu and Mariga Local Government Areas.

 Findings revealed that Kumbashi, Bangi and Mangoro communities were under the siege of no fewer than 300 armed bandits for several hours on Tuesday night resulting in the death of 13 of the villagers with many others sustaining gunshot injuries.

It was gathered that among those that lost their lives were men of the local vigilance team and some mobile policemen.

The gunmen according to the findings also destroyed a communication mast in one of the communities resulting in the affected areas being unable to reach out to other parts of the local government and the state headquarters.

A top official of the local government said on condition of anonymity that the bandits could have been on a reprisal attack following the recent  raid of their colleague’s hideouts by operatives of the  Nigeria Air force which led to several bandits being neutralised.

The Chairman of the  local government, Alhaji Abbas Kasuwa Garba, confirmed the development but did not say how many villagers and men of the vigilance group were killed by the bandits.

In far away Borgu Local Government, it was learnt that many men of the local vigilance groups in Babana and Ibbi communities were killed by the gunmen who could be the same group that attacked communities in Mariga local government.

The men of the vigilance groups in the two communities were said to have run into an ambush by the gunmen resulting in the heavy casualties.

Unconfirmed reports from Borgu claimed that the gunmen could have been planning to kidnap the Chief of Babana which they would have used to demand for ransom from the community and the state government.

As a result, the monarch was reported to have now gone underground.

Insecurity: Oyo Procures Two Aircrafts at N7.7b, Invests N595m in Solar Project

The Oyo State government has said security would be beefed up in the state with the immediate procurement of two aircrafts to curb the menace of illegal miners, kidnappers and other forms of security threats, particularly in the vast inter land of the state.

Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, who made the disclosure in a release after the state Executive Council meeting, said the procurement was approved in a renewed determination by the government to secure the state further from the influx of bandits and the perpetration of their enterprise.

According to him, the Council noted that though the state enjoyed relative peace compared to other states in the federation, the government would not be complacent because there were still pockets of kidnappings and banditry going on in parts of the state.

“The two light aircraft, DA 42 MNG model, are Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, with sophisticated surveillance gadgets capable of identifying targets from high and low altitudes,” he said.

The Commissioner added that the preference for these aircrafts instead of helicopters was because they were less expensive to maintain, stating that the spare parts were accessible and also the Nigeria Air Force possessed a number of the model, which gave room for synergy.