Governor Mohammed Bago has declared that he will neither negotiate with bandits nor pay ransom for kidnapped victims in Niger.

He said this in a statement by spokeswoman Aisha Wakaso. The governor stated this during a condolence visit to the people of Rijau and Magama LGAs, whose communities were recently attacked by bandits in Kontagora.

Mr Bago said the state had reached a point where the people must stand up and defend themselves, warning that paying ransom would only turn kidnapping into a thriving business.

“I will not negotiate or pay ransom to bandits. The moment we start paying, they will open shop on our heads and keep kidnapping people,” the Niger governor said.

He described the situation as a state of war that requires collective resistance, emphasizing that it was a constitutional duty to protect the lives and property of the people.

Mr Bago added that he would prioritise that as the constitution does not state how far he should go in protecting the people.

“We are surrounded by enemies, but we will not give up,” added the governor. “The Constitution gives us the right to defend our lives and property, and we will do just that. There is no going back.”

He described as embarrassing and unacceptable that communities could be invaded and their residents turned into internally displaced persons.

He reeled out plans to recruit and train 10,000 members into the Joint Task Force to help restore security, with recruitment beginning immediately.

Mr Bago also declared a total ban on mining activities across the entire Zone C of the state, which covered eight LGAs, comprising Magama, Kontagora, Rijau, Wushishi, Mariga, Borgu, Mashegu, and Agwara.

He noted that illegal mining had become one of the major drivers of insecurity in the area, with miners often accessing forest zones unharmed while residents suffered repeated attacks.

“It is suspicious that miners can enter the forests freely, yet the bandits don’t touch them. I hereby order the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to arrest anyone caught engaging in mining activities,” the governor declared.

The governor assured victims of recent attacks of his administration’s support. He promised to compensate the families of those who lost their lives, provide medical treatment for the injured, and provide assistance for those who lost their sources of livelihood.

(NAN)