NIGER: Governor Abubakar Bello Demands Stiffer Penalties For Bandits, Kidnappers

Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello has decried the rate of insecurity in rural areas where lives are lost on daily basis due to banditry and kidnapping.

Bello spoke while presiding over the swearing-in of Justice Aisha Lami Bawa Bwari as the Chief Judge of the State at the Government House, Minna on Friday.

The governor asked the state Judiciary and Legislature to come up with stiffer penalties for bandits and kidnappers expecially their informants.

“With the increased insecurity in the hinterlands especially in our rural areas where lives are lost on daily basis due to banditry and kidnapping, the Parliament and the Judiciary should come up with stiffer penalties for those involved in these activities especially the informants.

“It has come to our notice that most of these heinous crimes are being executed in conjunction with members of the communities. So we are seriously and strongly suggesting that kidnappers, bandits and the informants should have the same punishment because without the informants the banditry activities would extremely become difficult”, he started.

KanyiDaily had reported how over 500 bandits promised to surrender their arms and embrace peace after meeting a prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi.