The Niger governor Umar Muhammed Bago said the government is considering going into dialogue with bandits and terrorists in the state following the visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Bago who spoke with journalists after the meeting with Tinubu, lamented over the level of insecurity in Niger State.
“We don’t want any major military activities in Niger as we also don’t want the grazers to leave our state because of business and the investment,” Bago said.
“But if we don’t get to that level of dialogue, then probably, we have to go fully military.”
Niger State has been in the news in recent times as bandits and terrorists keep attacking and killing residents.
Bago disclosed that farmers are the worst hit as many of them have abandoned their farmlands due to fear of being attacked.
He spoke about the adverse effect activities of bandits, cattle rustlers, illegal miners and others have had on residents of the state.
“Niger State is being referred to as the food basket of the country largely due to our largest land mass in the country which is also suitable for agriculture and being made use by the government and a large percentage of the people,” he said.
“But the growing security concern meant that our people are constantly at the mercy of bandits and other criminal elements.”
Military troops were killed by bandits in an ambush in the Shiroro area of Niger while a Nigerian Air Force helicopter crashed in the state on Monday.
