The governor of Katsina State, Mr. Aminu Masari, has said that a majority of those involved in banditry are Fulani who live in the forests rearing cattle.
Speaking on ‘Politics Today’ programme on Channels Television yesterday, Masari said his declaration might not go down well with his fellow northerners but stated that the truth must be told.
On the identity of bandits terrorising the entire northwest and other parts of the country, the governor said: “They are the same people like me, who speak the same language like me, who profess the same religious beliefs like me.
“So, what we have here on ground are bandits; they are not aliens, they are people we know, they are people that have been living with us for 100 of years.
“The infiltration we have from some West African countries and North African countries are also people of the Fulani extraction.
“Majority of those involved in this banditry are Fulanis whether it is palatable or it is not palatable but that is the truth. I am not saying 100 per cent of them are Fulani but majority of them are, and these are people who live in the forest and their main occupation is rearing of cattle.”
On the closure of the Jibia-Gurbin-Baure Road and the Kankara-Sheme Road to all motorists, suspension of sale of cows, and other animals at markets in 14 local government areas of the state to curb the worsening security situations in the northwest state, the governor described the measures as “painful” but “necessary” adding that the efforts had worked although the kind of results he expected was yet to be realised.
He revealed that over 100 groups are in the forest “all made up of bandits, kidnappers, rapists and armed robbers”, adding that all measures would be employed to curtail the situation before the end of the year.
He said the restrictions put in place had so far had drastically reduced the movement of bandits in large groups.
