The All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, President, Arc Kabir Ibrahim, Thursday, lamented the increased armed banditry and bloodshed in Faskari Local Government Area and other parts of Katsina State. Ibrahim who in a chat with Vanguard decried the incessant loss of lives and property in Katsina said Faskari Local Government Area is 100 per cent agrarian in the Southernmost part of Katsina State bordering Zamfara State is now the epicenter of banditry in the North West region of the country. According to him, Faskari is where he hails from, which many people were killed in a farming village, Kadisau in Faskari LGA has plunged the entire area into an all-time insecurity situation.

He also added that the terrible situation had made farmers worst hit and had rendered them handicapped, which they cannot access their farms, which portends imminent food shortage that would affect over 100 million Nigerians. Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State, was attacked by armed bandits raided the town and killed no fewer than 40 people, mostly old people, women, and children. He said: “I am from Faskari which is 100 per cent agrarian but now the epicenter of banditry in the North-West. “Faskari Local Government Area in the Southernmost part of Katsina State bordering Zamfara State is now the epicenter of banditry in the North West. The killing of several people in Kadisau a farming village in Faskari LGA, the other day, has plunged us into an all-time insecurity situation. The farmers cannot go to their farms and this portends imminent food shortage.” The AFAN boss also pointed out what security agencies are not getting right, and that is by announcing what they want to do to bandits on-air and pages of newspapers. “While the government is doing its utmost to stop this mayhem it is very frustrating for the people to contend with the incessant banditry perpetrated by the miscreants as if they are better fighters than the security agents. “It is quite clear that the bandits are abreast of every move the security agents make because there are informants in the midst of the inhabitants of the frontline LGAs.

“The security agents should desist from announcing their every move and deployments because that also contributes to the seeming lack of success of some of the missions. “The bandits seem to be always a few steps ahead of the security agents and carry on attacks in areas just vacated by the security agents in most cases. “The forests are the hiding places for the bandits and are so thickset that they are almost inaccessible. “The most effective way to tackle these bandits is to bulldoze and defoliate some sectors of these forests but the climate change activists are continually against doing this, of course. “The options for the sustainable containment of this menace surely and clearly call for a pragmatic reappraisal of all the factors around the forests, the informants and the morale of the security agents”, he said.

He also made some suggestions that would proffer solution to the protracted security challenges following recent gruesome murder of over 40 persons and many others injured. “For the umpteenth time let me reiterate the positions I espoused in various fora: We must take decisive action on all those forests that provide safe havens for the bandits, cattle rustlers, and insurgents; The reappraisal of the leaderships of all security outfits charged with the responsibility of ensuring the security of life and property of Nigerians. “To ruthlessly deal with any persons even remotely connected with the perpetration of this menace; Allow local vigilantes to lead the soldiers to the enclaves of the bandits and all suspected persons involved in perpetrating the menace; To not make peace with any group henceforth until all the bandits are killed or arrested; and make the decision to deal with the bandits and all those found culpable in the mayhem summarily to deter anyone who even contemplated doing same”, he stated.

SOURCE: VANGUARD