The executive governor of Niger State, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has expressed his reservations regarding the payment of ransom or negotiating with bandits following recent attacks in parts of the state.
Governor Bago during a condolence visit to Rijau and Magama Local Government Areas, where several communities were attacked by gunmen, urges residents to stand up and defend themselves against future assaults.
Bago maintained that ransom payments only embolden criminals and worsen insecurity.
Read Also
He said, “The state has reached a point where people must rise and defend themselves. I will not negotiate with bandits or pay ransom. Once we start paying, they will turn it into a business and keep kidnapping people.”
The governor further stressed that the Constitution empowers citizens to protect their lives and property, pledging his administration’s support for communities determined to resist attacks.
He lamented the continuous invasion of communities, describing the displacement of residents as both embarrassing and unacceptable.
