Stop the killings in Birnin Gwari
The killing of over 19 people in Kushemeri village in Birni-Gwari Local Government, Kaduna State on Saturday, has further exposed how insecure communities in the area are. The attack and killing came barely one week when six farmers were also killed by the suspected bandits in the area. The continuing massacre of defenceless villagers with […]
The killing of over 19 people in Kushemeri village in Birni-Gwari Local Government, Kaduna State on Saturday, has further exposed how insecure communities in the area are. The attack and killing came barely one week when six farmers were also killed by the suspected bandits in the area. The continuing massacre of defenceless villagers with the government doing little or nothing to arrest the situation has raised questions as to whether the primary function of government, which is among others, the protection of lives and properties has been achieved or not? In the last five years, farming communities of Birni-Gwari have never known peace. They have been at the mercy of 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 since the menace of banditry began in the area that no less than 2000 people have been killed with 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 continued killing in Birnin-Gwari has come at a time when people have repeatedly been appealing to the government to improve security in the area. It seems, there is gross inadequate numbers 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 hideous of these bandits and their accomplices. For the war against banditry activities to succeed, not only in Birnin-Gwari communities but also in the country at large, there is the need for the government to adopt a carrot and stick approach. The government should match negotiation with force. Bandits who agree to surrender their arms and repent should be forgiven. The government should roll out amnesty programmes 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 crimes has proved helpful globally. With drones, our security personnel can easily locate and monitor the movement of bandits in the Birnin-Gwari forest. There is also the need for the 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 the government came to their aid.
Lawal Usman Adamu, Kaduna