By SUNTV Global Channel
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has issued a strong appeal to Fulani community leaders, urging them to work with security agencies to identify and expose criminal elements involved in kidnapping and banditry across the state.
Speaking in Hausa during a meeting captured in a viral video, Governor Bago said victims of kidnapping frequently accuse Fulani herders of being responsible for their abductions, stressing that community leaders must take responsibility by discouraging criminal activities among their members.
“My relatives, I will not be afraid to tell you the truth. Whoever is kidnapped in the bush and later released will say it was Fulanis who kidnapped them,” the governor said.
He urged the leaders to persuade those involved in criminal activities to abandon the bush and return home, emphasizing that lasting peace can only be achieved when communities reject criminality.
“Warn your children who are in the bush to return so that we can all live peacefully. People who are kidnapped and forced to pay ransom will naturally become angry,” he added.
Governor Bago acknowledged that many residents have grown frustrated over persistent insecurity, alleging that some individuals within affected communities fail to report armed criminals, including those reportedly entering Niger State from neighboring Zamfara State.
He maintained that while Fulani communities are free to graze livestock, pursue education, and live peacefully, criminal behavior by a few individuals continues to damage the image of the wider community.
The governor also issued a directive to farmers, warning against cultivating crops within government road setbacks. He said any crops planted between major roads and power line corridors could be destroyed by grazing animals, while offending farmers risk arrest.
In addition, Bago cautioned vigilante groups against taking the law into their own hands and called on traditional rulers to closely monitor religious preaching.
He directed security agencies to arrest anyone using religious sermons to incite division among Muslims or between Muslims and Christians.
“Anyone who preaches to divide Muslims or create conflict between Muslims and Christians should be arrested and prosecuted,” the governor said.
Governor Bago reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to restoring security across Niger State through stronger collaboration between communities, traditional institutions, and security agencies.
