…As gunmen kill 86 farmers in village
From Olanrewaju Lawal Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi State governor, Dr Nasir Idris, has vowed to sign without delay the death warrant of anybody in the state caught divulging information to the bandits.
Idris, who was furious about the devilish act of informants, who volunteered information to bandits to commit atrocities, including murder, kidnapping, arson, robbery and cattle rustling, said that he would append his signature to the death warrant of convicted informants.
He stated this during a sympathy visit to the inhabitants of Tudun Bichi, a town in Wasagu Chiefdom in Danko-Wasagu Local Government of the state to condole with them on the recurring attacks by bandits on their farms that led to the death of many villagers.
He said: “The activities of informants defied all norms and religious doctrines. Just for a pittance, some miscreants will provide valuable information to bandits to perpetrate mayhem against their own people.
“I will never condone or be lenient with such unscrupulous persons. Let it be known to the informants that whoever is convicted for volunteering information to bandits, leading to the killing of innocent souls, I will sign his death warrant instantaneous.”
Idris gave an assurance that his administration would continue to provide the necessary support to the security agencies with emphasis on logistics, welfare of troops and other material requirements for combat readiness and operational successes.
The governor accepted the request for the immediate rehabilitation of the three kilometre road linking the village with Wasagu that has become impassable due to bridge collapse.
The Village Head of Tudun Bichi, Mallam Muhammad Mika’ilu, thanked Governor Nasir Idris for his kindness to pay condolence visit to the people, saying he was the first chief executive of Kebbi State to visit the town among all elected governors.
Mika’ilu in a voice full of emotion, told the governor that the bandits have prevented them from cultivating their farmlands for the past two consecutive seasons, and have renewed their attacks on the advent of this year’s rainfall, attacking and killing anyone who dared to till the land.
The village head appealed to the governor to order the deployment of security operatives with requisite fighting equipment to deal with the bandits and enable the community to go back to normal uninterrupted farming of both food and cash crops.
He also appealed to the government to rehabilitate the major outlet linking the village to Wasagu, headquarters of the Wasagu Chiefdom.
An elder of Tufun Bichi, Mallam Sani Manomi, said that the bandits have killed a total of 86 people from the town in various attacks on farmlands, while on Thursday, the invaders murdered seven villagers in cold blood.