By; BALA B. BITRUS, Minna
Respite may finally be on it’s way to the frightened people of Munya, Shiroro, Rafi local government areas of Niger State who have for over two years been living with the fear of dare devil men of the underworld as the federal government appears to have drafted the military on a rescue mission.
Insecurity to lives and properties had assumed dangerous, frightening dimension in parts of the state as kidnappers run ammock almost on daily basis, just as cattle rustling, armed robbery and banditry are now recurring occurances in parts of the state.
Last weekend, following series of attacks by men of the underworld, military men were drafted to the state to begin what is dabbed as “Operation Yaki” in some troubled local government areas of Niger state.
The deployment of soldiers came on the heels of the kidnap of some local politicians including the Secretary of the governing All Progressive Congress, (APC) in Munya local government area, Mr. Anthony Francis and the party’s Ward Chairman for Kaza Ward, Alhaji Kaza who were part of the four men kidnapped by a gang of kidnappers at Zazzaga area of the town on Thursday.
Beside this, the two siblings of the Chairman of the council area, (names withheld) were among the victims of yet another kidnap operation on Saturday where about seven persons were kidnapped.
A band of armed kidnappers had struck in the early hours of Saturday morning at the home of the Chairman of the council at Kuchi village where they flaunted their assault rifles freely after which they whisked their targets away.
Our correspondent gathered that the military task force would be drafted to council areas with security challenges to help in safeguarding lives and properties of citizens.
The intervention by the military is expected to dislodge the camps of cattle rustlers, kidnappers and other criminal elements that have taken over most of the bushes and forests in some local government areas in the state.
Apart from last week’s kidnap operation in Munya, neighbouring Shiroro and Rafi Local Government Councils have been under the siege by armed cattle rustlers, armed robbers and kidnappers since the beginning of last year with no period of respite for citizens in the areas.
Indications that the military was taking over the fight against criminals who have previously layed siege in parts of the state emerged on Monday morning when Major General Mohammed Mohammed, the General Officer Commanding, (GOC) 1 Mechanized Brigage, Nigerian Army led some top military officers to the Government House, Minna for final preparations for the commencement of the drafting of the military men to the troubled areas.
Though newsmen were not allowed into the venue of the enlarged security meeting which was presided over by the Deputy Governor of Niger state, Ahmed Mohammed Ketso, our correspondent learnt that the task force would be coordinated by Major General Mohammed Mohammed, the General Officer Commanding, 1 Mechanized Brigade of the Nigerian Army.
On the GOC’s entourage were the Garrison Commander, Major General Odiakor, Colonel Yau of the Signals Corp, Colonel Obayo and the Staff Officer to the GOC.
Some stern looking, armed soldiers in five trucks accompanied the GOC and his entourage to the Government House were their presence evoked fear as the military men virtually took over the security of the Government House while the security meeting lasted.
The GOC and his men held the top security meeting with the Deputy Governor for over 45 minutes after which the team had another round of meeting for about 15 minutes with the Secretary to the State Government, (SSG) Ibrahim Isah Ladan ostensibly to iron out the nitty gritty part of the role the state government is expected to play in the intervention by the military.
