Insecurity: “My administration is ready to kill Fulani bandits now” – El-Rufai

Frustrated by the endless kidnappings and hostage taking for ransom by bandits who are mainly of Fulani herders in Kaduna State, governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai said the best way out was to take the battle to their camps in the forest and kill them.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa Service on Monday, he revealed that his administration’s
resolve is to “hunt the Fulani bandits down and kill them until the remaining surrender or give up banditry.”

He said the only option to stop violent crimes and criminality is to attack and kill them, which according to him, taking offensive to the criminals hide out show government’s capacity to protect the people.

He said: “That is the position of Kaduna State government and that of our counterpart in Niger.

He revealed that there was disagreement among governors of the Northwest on whether to confront bandits violently, but some prefer negotiations with bandits, saying that has been the issue they have been facing.

“Like I said earlier, before now, Katsina’s position was negotiations and amnesty for bandits but now, they have shifted from that position and wanted total declaration of war on bandits.

“Like I have concluded, a Fulani herdsmen who used to make ten thousand in a month and one hundred thousand in a year after selling his cow will not stop banditry after he has made millions just on one job.

“Anyone who tells you a Fulani herdsman who kidnaps and makes millions will go back to the lifestyle of herding where he makes one hundred or two hundred thousand in a year is deceiving him or herself.

“So our position is for the federal government to use all its security agencies, the army, the Air Force, police and all security operatives to fight and kill them to the last.

“Perhaps, if they realise that they are overpowered, they are the ones who would come begging for amnesty.

“I receive reports of 10 to 20 arrests of Fulani herdsmen daily and someone is saying they would stop, I swear they would never stop.”

On the issue of compensations and amnesty for the bandits, he quipped: “What compensation? Compensation for what reason? They that just kill people, burn down their houses, what type of compensation are they talking about?”