The Special Adviser on Security Matters to the governor of Niger State, Gen Ndagulu Abubakar Imam Rtd. has told the Justice Danladi Ahmed Baddegi Judicial Commission of inquiry sitting in Minna that the bandits carry out intensive initiatives on a particular community before launching offensive attacks.
He disclosed that 99 percent of the attacks on most of the communities was being carried out by bandits, adding that whenever such incidence occured in any of the community, the first place to get information from is the Local Government Chairman of the affected area as the chief security officer.
Testifying under cross examination by the Counsel appearing before the Commission, Barrister Musa Suleiman, the Security Adviser stated that his function as the Security Adviser is to advise the governor on security related issues and other matters that may pose security threat to the State.
Equally, he told the Commission that his main function as the Security Adviser to the governor is to coordinate all the works of security agencies in the state whenever there is any security threat for prompt action.
Members of the Security Council in the State according to the security adviser include the governor who preside over the council meeting, Commissioner of Police in the State, and the Director of Department of Security Services (DSS).
Other members of the Security Council are the Brigade Commander of the Nigeria army, Commandant of the Nigeria security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy and Internal Security who coordinate the activities of the vigilante group in the State.
He said the meeting of the Council is being held monthly or weekly as the case may be and at times is being presided over by the Secretary to the State Government who is also a member of the Council, while the Permanent Secretary cabinet and Security in the Government House, serve as the Secretary of the Council.
He added that he at times preside over the meeting in his capacity as the Security Adviser whenever the need arose stating that in an emergency that an urgent security matter crop up, he preside over the meeting.
Speaking further, the retired Military General explained that it was at the State Security Council meeting that some issues relating to security was being discussed in the presence of all the security chiefs in the State, adding that from then the next line of position would be taken collectively.
When further cross examined by the Counsel, if he has a security map to identify a security proned areas in the State, he told the Commission that as a trained military officer, the only map he was familiar with, was typographical map, noting that he is not aware of any security map.
He explained that, as a retired military general of the Nigeria army, the typography map was the only map that “we are familiar with. It is the only map we use to identify any of the terrain that the enemies are located for us to move in. I can’t call that as security map.
“If that is called typography map then I will say yes that is security map.”
He maintained that the activities of bandits in most of the communities they carry out their offensive attacks is well coordinated, added that immediately they launches attack, they would disappear into the forest without being traced by security agencies.
He told the Commission that being a fact finding panel, the outcome will reveal those behind the killings in the affected communities, “for me to say this or that were behind the killing is prejudice.”
He then told the Commission that with the permission of the panelists, he will make available some findings that will further assist the Commission.
However, the Commission could not take the submission from the Chairman of Mashegu Local Government Area, Alhaji Ahmed Mazakuka as some of the memorandum expected to be submitted to the Commission were not completed.
At this point the Counsel representing the Council Chairman, Barrister Musa Suleiman then requested for a date and the chairman of the commission Justice Danladi Ahmed Baddegi then adjourned the sitting to December, 29 2023.
