The governor of Kaduna State Nasir El-Rufai has said that bandits and insurgents have unleashed fear and anxiety across communities in the state. 

Mr El-Rufai made this statement in his remarks at the launch of the Conflict Early Warning and Early Response System (CEWERS) of the Kaduna State Peace Commission on Wednesday. 

“Bandits and other insurgents have unleashed fear and anxiety in communities across the state. The criminals kill people, steal property, burn houses, harass farmers and rustle livestock,” Mr El-Rufai said. 

He further said banditry is fueling inter-communal conflict  across the state as victims of banditry carry out reprisal  attacks on those who share ethnic or religious affinity with bandits.

“Victims of the depredations of these criminals often turn on those they believe share ethnic or religious affinity with them,” Mr El-Rufai said. “Stopping the bandits is an essential contribution to ending communal conflict.”

Citing Kaduna State Security report that states that over 300 and close to 1000 persons have been killed and kidnapped respectively in the state, between January to April 2020, Mr El-Rufai said banditry is “complicating communal relations.”

“The 2020 security  incidents report issued by Ministry of Internal Security show that banditry is a problem across the state, and that it is also complicating communal relations in our more diverse communities,” he said.