From:Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
The North-West Alliance for Security (NWAS) has said it stands resolute in its commitment to the safety and well-being of the citizens of the North-West region of Nigeria and expressed concern with the escalating crisis of insecurity that has engulfed our communities, driven by the unrelenting activities of bandits and violent extremists.
Sequel to such challenge, he group said “the persistent failures of the current Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar, to effectively address these challenges, we hereby call for his immediate resignation from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
According to a statement issued by the Chairman Musa Zakaria, and made available to the media in Kaduna yesterday the North-West region of Nigeria has tragically become synonymous with lawlessness, as criminal gangs known as ‘bandits’ wreak havoc on our communities, adding that the situation has deteriorated to such an extent that, as highlighted by military officials, these bandits have formed alarming alliances with violent extremist organizations, blurring the lines between banditry and terrorism.
“Reports indicate that jihadists and terrorists have infiltrated the ranks of these criminal groups, posing an existential threat to our way of life.
The statistics are staggering. Thousands have lost their lives, millions have been displaced, and our economy is in ruins due to the rampant activities of these criminal gangs.
“The states of Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara have borne the brunt of this crisis, with an estimated 30,000 bandits operating across approximately 100 gangs. The radicalization stemming from long-standing disputes over land and resources, compounded by environmental degradation and the influx of arms, has exacerbated the conflict”.
The group averred that the traditional systems of mediation that once maintained harmony in our communities have been undermined, leaving a vacuum that has been filled by violence and terror.
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