From Tunde Suleman, Minna
Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, has proposed the establishment of a joint force to flush out armed bandits hiding in the forest lining the borders of his state with Kaduna, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara and Benin Republic.
Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command, Mr. Emmanuel Amore disclosed this on Tuesday after a closed-door meeting with members of the state House of Assembly over security challenges in the state.
According to Amore, “it has been discovered that the large forest that cuts across the border lines of Niger, Kaduna, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states as well Republic of Benin harbours some militants and armed bandits. They hide in the forest and come out to wreak havoc on the public and run back to the forest.
“The good news is that the governor has taken it as a challenge to work with governors of these neighbouring states to jointly operate and root out these armed bandits and militants hiding on the forest lining along same belt across the states”.
Amore was summoned to appear before the House following a motion by Hon. Umar Jiya (Mashegu constituency) calling on the Niger State government to prevail on the Commissioner of Police of the state to upgrade security surveillance and anti-robbery campaign in Mashegu local government area of the state.
The other motion moved by Hon. John Paul Bahago (Munya constituency), calling on the state government to impress it upon the Federal Government to draft men of the Nigerian Army to curb the persistent menace of armed robbery attacks in the area.
The House then ordered Amore to appear before it to explain the security situation in the state.
The Police Commissioner said he was able to brief the lawmakers on the security achievements recorded over time and also highlighted the challenging of policing the state, which has the largest land mass in the country.
His words: “I was able to brief the lawmakers of what we are doing, especially our new drive of Community Policing, which he said was borne out of the reality that security of live and property require the involvement of all.”
On Monday the state governor, Abubakar Sani Bello canvassed the support of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, in Abuja over the menace posed to the public by the bandits in the affected states.
Issue of state security