Stop the Birnin-Gwari killings

By Lawal Adamu Usman

SIR: The killing of over 19 people in Kushemeri village of Birni-Gwari Local Government of Kaduna State last Saturday, has furthered revealed how insecure communities around the local government are living. The attacks and killing came barely one week after six poor farmers were also killed by the suspected bandits in the area. The continuing massacre of defenceless villagers on daily basis with government doing little or nothing to arrest the situation has raised questions on whether the primary function of government, which among others, is the protection of lives and properties have been achieved or not?

In the last five years, the farming communities of Birni-Gwari have never known peace. They have been at the mercy of bloody bandits who continue to terrorise and sack their communities. Many people have been forced to leave their villages and abandon their age-long farming occupation and other means of survival. It is estimated that since the menace of banditry began in Birnin-Gwari local government, no less than 2000 people have been killed while properties worth millions of naira lost.

Many communities have become no-go areas with armed bandits living like kings. They strike and inflict harm on the helpless communities at their pleasure. The continuing killings in Birnin-Gwari have come at a time when people have been repeatedly appealing for government to improve security in the area. It seems there is grossly inadequate number of security personnel who will police, arrest and bring these notorious bandits to justice. Besides, lack of intelligence-gathering has emboldened the activities of the criminals to kidnap and kill their victims. Good intelligence gathering would have assisted government to identify the hideouts of these bandits and their accomplices.

For the war against banditry to succeed not only in Birnin-Gwari communities but also in the country at large, there is the need for government to adopt carrot and stick approach. Government should match negotiation with force. Bandits who agree to surrender their arms and repent should be forgiven. Government should roll out amnesty programs for the repentant bandits. However, those who refuse to toe the path of peace and continue with their nefarious activities should be severely dealt with.

The use of technology in tackling terrorism and other crime has proved helpful globally. With drones, our security personnel can easily locate and monitor the movement of bandits in Birnin-Gwari forest. There is also the need for government to deploy more security personnel across the length and breadth of the local government to tackle the menace of banditry. Birnin-Gwari communities have suffered a lot in the hands of bandits. It is high time government came to their aid.