It was a sombre-looking Governor Nasir el-Rufai who, yesterday, reeled out gloomy details of the spate of insecurity that has held Kaduna State by the jugular.
Receiving reports of the security challenges facing the state compiled by the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, the governor said Kaduna lost 1,192 residents to bandits attacks across the state in 2021, while 3,348 citizens were kidnapped.
The fatality figure represents an average of three residents daily in 2021. The report also shows that there is a 27.21 per cent increase in deaths, compared to 2020.
A review of media reports on 2021 killings shows that Kaduna is the second least secure state in Nigeria after Zamfara that tops the list.
Specifically, el-Rufai confirmed that an average of nine persons were kidnapped daily last year. The government’s yearly report also gave 891 as the figure of people who sustained various forms of injury during the attacks.
Besides, apart from human casualty, 13,788 cows were rustled within the 12 months covered by the report.
“The state recorded 182 cases of farm destruction either by cattle under the watch of itinerant herders or herds rustled by bandits, which destroyed farms, especially in Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Igabi, Chikun, Kajuru, Jema’a, Kaura, Kauru and Zangon Kataf local councils.
“Kaduna Central senatorial zone recorded the highest number of deaths at 720, followed by 406 in Kaduna South and 66 in Kaduna North. There were 340 children kidnapped, while 2,023 were men and 985 were women.
“Kaduna Central also led in the area of kidnapping with 2,771 abduction, while 397 citizens were kidnapped from the Southern senatorial zone and 180 from Kaduna North,” the report indicated.
Zangon Kataf LGA in the southern part of Kaduna appeared to be most troubled area in the state as 186 persons were killed, followed by Birnin Gwari LGA with 179 fatalities; Giwa LGA recorded 173 deaths and Chikun LGA had 160.
In the report, the state government highlighted the main sources of revenue for bandits as follows: Ransom for kidnapped hostages, sale of rustled cattle, profit from gun running/arms trade, leasing of weapons to other criminal groups, proceeds from joint operations (mostly kidnappings) with other criminal groups, protection levies imposed on farming communities and individuals and proceeds from commercial motorcycle operators and other businesses set up for local collaborators.
In his remarks, el-Rufai said: “Like the 2020 maiden edition, the report is a sobering reading because it is a factual account of a challenging situation. Its pages contain hard data, which reflect the pains inflicted on our people across the state by criminals and outlaws. The report also provides background and an update on the steps being taken by Kaduna State government to manage this serious challenge.
“The report shows that in 2021, an average of nine persons were kidnapped daily across Kaduna, mostly in Kaduna Central senatorial district. There is also an escalation in the number of persons killed by a whopping 255 compared to those killed by banditry and criminality in 2020, in spite of our best efforts in supporting the Federal security agencies to bring an end to this phenomenon.
“As we digest these sad statistics, we pray for the repose of the souls of those killed, pay tribute to the victims of various crimes, reiterate our solidarity with them, and reaffirm our resolve to continue to protect our people, and stop the criminals. The victims of these outlaws cut across our state, though we note the persistence of certain narratives that try to coat sheer criminality in ethno-religious or regional hues, depending on the identity of the victims.
“As a sub-national, the state government has always used the limited tools available to it to address these dire times. Since 2015, we have supported the Federal security agencies deployed in our state with vehicles and other logistics.
“Lessons learned from managing these incidents during our first term informed our decision to establish the first sub-national Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs at the beginning of our second term in 2019.”
El-Rufai expressed sadness at the escalation of violence in Zangon-Kataf, which appears to be rapidly spilling into the Chawai part of Kauru Local Council.
“We sympathise with the affected communities. This outbreak of violence is a serious challenge to the community level peace process initiated by the Agwam of Zangon Kataf and community leaders in the area. While the security agencies keep trying their best, the peacemakers on the ground should not be discouraged. Peace is worth every effort, despite the setbacks encountered.
“We continue to emphasise that as a state, we do not believe that there is any phenomenon like ‘repentant bandits’. Any person that makes a conscious decision to secure arms, challenge the authority of the Nigerian state, and threatens the lives and property of Nigerians does not deserve to live or be granted any concession by the society,” he declared.
