Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai of Kaduna State has urged the Federal Government to establish a Theatre Command in the North-East to combat the insurgency that has clearly emerged in five North-West states and Niger State with continuous and contiguous forest ranges.
He stated that the establishment of such a Theatre Command would allow for a more holistic approach to counter-insurgent operations across the six affected states, as well as improved coordination of the Armed Forces, Police, SSS, respective State Vigilance Services, hunters, and other local volunteers fighting the insurgents.
The Governor made the remarks during the presentation of the state’s 2021 Annual Security Report at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House in Kaduna on Tuesday.
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He stated that the 2021 Security Report was the second annual presentation on security incidents in Kaduna State since 2019.
“Like the report’s maiden edition in 2020, the report is a sobering read because it is a factual account of a difficult situation.”
Its pages contain hard data that reflects the suffering inflicted on our citizens across the state by criminals and outlaws.
The report also provides context and an update on the Kaduna State Government’s efforts to address this serious challenge.” According to the report presented today, in 2021, an average of 9 people were kidnapped daily across Kaduna State, primarily in the Kaduna Central senatorial district.
There has also been an increase in the number of people killed by a whopping 255 compared to those tragically killed by banditry and criminality in 2020, despite our best efforts to assist Federal security agencies in putting an end to this phenomenon.”
“As we digest these heartbreaking statistics, we pray for the repose of the souls of those who have died, pay tribute to the victims of various crimes, express our solidarity with them, and reaffirm our resolve to continue to protect our people and put an end to criminals.”
The victims of these outlaws are spread across our state, but we are concerned about the persistence of certain narratives that attempt to color sheer criminality in ethnoreligious or regional hues, depending on the identity of the victims.”
“As a subnational government, the Kaduna State Government has always used the few tools at its disposal to address these dire times.” Since 2015, we have provided vehicles and other logistics to federal security agencies stationed in our state. During the 2016-2019 period, security incidents ranged from communal clashes to cattle rustling, kidnappings, robberies, and murders.
Lessons learned from dealing with these incidents during our first term influenced our decision to create the first sub-national Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs at the start of our second term in 2019.”
“The Ministry’s mandate is to manage the state government’s relationship with federal security agencies stationed in the state and to coordinate their activities in order to secure our people in the face of unprecedented challenges.”
This entails cultivating strong relationships with these organizations.
The state is expanding its intelligence-gathering from communities through the Ministry. It also manages the Security Operations Room, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
“Today’s tragic events in 2021 highlight the importance of collaboration as a security tool.”
The governors of five frontline states in the North-West zone and Niger State continue to share information and press security agencies for a sustained campaign of continuous, simultaneous operations against terrorists throughout our vast region.”
“Several measures, including the telecoms shutdown, were implemented by the states in order to enable kinetic operations, as recommended by security agencies.”
We applaud our citizens for their self-sacrifices during the shutdown. I’d like to emphasize that some of the measures, such as the prohibition of (a) The sale of petroleum products, (b) the operation of weekly markets in specific areas, and (c) the use of motorcycles will continue until we see clear progress in the fight against terrorists.”
“There is no doubt that a concerted national effort is required to strengthen our security forces.”
Modern technology, advanced armaments, equipment, and more boots on the ground are required by the military and police.”
“The security of our communities is dependent on the robust projection of state power, which can only be accomplished with enough security personnel to intimidate and deter criminals.”
The state’s prerogatives must be asserted rather than simply declared.
The people we put in uniform must never be put in unnecessary danger, outgunned, or outnumbered by non-state actors.
“When terrorists are defeated, ‘soft,’ non-kinetic peacebuilding will gain traction.”
The Peace Commission is one of the soft tools we have developed in Kaduna State, with the authority to engage our communities and incline them toward peaceful conflict resolution.
We also support the House of Kaduna Family as an important platform for religious leaders to promote common humanity across our differences.”
“We note, once again, with sadness, the escalation of violence in Zangon-Kataf Chiefdom, which appears to be quickly spreading into the Chawai part of Kauru Local Government.”
We condemn the disregard for human life as well as the legal violations that are fueling the crisis. We express our condolences to the affected communities.”
“This outbreak of violence poses a serious challenge to the community-level peace process launched by His Highness, the Agwam of Zangon Kataf, and local community leaders.”
While security forces continue to do their best, peacekeepers on the ground should not be discouraged. Despite the setbacks, peace is worth every effort.”
“As a state government, we continue to emphasize that we do not believe there is such a thing as repentant bandits.”
Anyone who makes a conscious decision to obtain weapons, challenge the authority of the Nigerian state, and endangers the lives and property of Nigerians does not deserve to live or be granted any concession by society.”
“There are no immediate or remote reasons to justify terrorist behavior.”
Those who hide behind these are either ethnic jingoists or religious apologists, or they fail to recognize that no legitimate government can survive by tolerating terrorists or negotiating with those who pose a threat to law-abiding citizens.”
“While we recognize their efforts and sacrifices of life and limb, we urge our military, police, and other security agencies to ensure coordinated actions and intensify simultaneous kinetic operations against these terrorists until they are decimated to the point of surrender.”
“The Kaduna State Government requests that the Federal Government establish a Theatre Command, similar to the situation in the North-East, to deal with the insurgency that has clearly emerged in five states of the North-West and Niger State with continuous and contiguous forest ranges.”
“The establishment of such a Theatre Command will allow for a more holistic approach to counter-insurgent operations across the six affected states, as well as improved coordination of the Armed Forces, Police, SSS, our respective State Vigilance Services, hunters, and other local volunteers to fight the insurgents.”
“At this point, I’d like to express our heartfelt appreciation to our Emirs and Chiefs for being the leading and influential anchors of peaceful coexistence in our various communities.”
Our Peace Commissioners and the House of Kaduna Family deserve special recognition and thanks.
“We are grateful to the security agencies, especially the Army, Air Force, Navy, Police, Civil Defence, SSS, our State Vigilance Service, and KASTLEA, for their ongoing collaboration with our Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs in the difficult task of securing the state.
We appreciate your time and wish you all the best. God bless the state of Kaduna. “God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he concluded.
Earlier, while presenting the report, the state Commissioner of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Samuel Aruwan, stated that in 2021, Kaduna state lost 1,192 residents to bandits attacks across the state, while 3,348 citizens were kidnapped and 891 sustained various forms of injury.
He stated that the state recorded 182 cases of farm destruction, either by cattle under the watch of itinerant herders or by herds rustled by bandits who destroyed farms during their escape, particularly in the local government areas of Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Igabi, Chikun, Kajuru, Jema’a, Kaura, Kauru, and Zangon Kataf.
According to the report, 50 children were among those killed, along with 1,038 men and 104 women.
“The number of deaths in Kaduna Central senatorial zone was 720, followed by 406 in Kaduna South and 66 in Kaduna North.”
There were 340 kidnapped children, with 2,023 men and 985 women among them. The Kaduna Central zone also led in kidnapping with 2,771 abductions, while the Southern senatorial zone had 397 abductions and the Kaduna North zone had 180.
By 2021, approximately 544 residents of the Kaduna Central zone were injured, while 253 residents of the Kaduna South zone and 94 residents of the Kaduna North zone were injured.
He claimed that 10,261 cows were rustled in Kaduna Central Zone, 1,941 and 1,586 cows were rustled in the Southern and Northern zones respectively.
