Tackle Increasing Wave of Kidnapping, Banditry Now, FG Urged

 

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has appealed to the federal government to take urgent steps to combat the increasing wave of kidnapping and banditry in Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina and Sokoto States.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Kaduna, the forum said it was worried with reports of the spate of kidnappings on the highways and frequent attacks on villages by bandits which have led to the death of hundreds of innocent lives.

The statement which was signed by the spokesman of the forum, Muhammad Ibrahim, said: “Frequent kidnappings, especially along Kaduna-Abuja express highway and many villages in Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina and Kaduna States as well as many other parts of the country, are cruel, barbaric and inhuman.

“ACF, therefore, condemns these unwarranted and unbridled kidnappings and killings of people by some unknown gunmen.

”This is a serious challenge to the government, our military and other security agencies as the spate of attacks is getting vicious and unacceptable.

”The establishment of Military Joint Task Force and other security operational command bases in Zamfara, Sokoto and other flash point states to combat the bandits activities in the region need to  redouble their efforts in order to put an end to this daily loss of innocent lives and destruction of property.”

The forum also called on the security agencies to employ new strategies and intelligence gathering needed to effectively smoke-out the kidnappers and bandits from their hideouts.

The statement urged the police to deploy more personnel to the affected states and highways to “not only repel attacks, but to also go after the perpetrators and bring them to book.

”ACF appeals to the federal government to seriously reexamine its security apparatus and take adequate measures that will increase the number of police personnel; train them and provide equipment and other logistic support to effectively tackle this menace.

”ACF equally urges the communities to cooperate with the security agencies by way of intelligence gathering and sharing.

“We extend our condolences to the families of the innocent souls killed in the dastardly acts of these kidnappers and bandits, the people as well as governments of the affected states.”