Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna state has reiterated his administration’s stance not to negotiate with bandits, saying that his job as governor is to enforce the law and help to prosecute people who commit offenses.
El- Rufai restated his government’s position during an expanded meeting of the State Security Council which was held at the Council Chambers of Sir Kashim Ibrahim House on Tuesday.
In addition to regular members from the state government, security agencies and traditional rulers, the meeting featured religious leaders and invited guests from professional associations, trade unions and civil society groups.
“We will not engage with bandits or kidnappers . Private citizens like clerics and clergy men can do so in their individual capacities, to preach to them and ask them to repent. We also want them to repent but it is not our job to ask them to do so,’’ he added.
According to him, the best way to solve the farmer-herder clashes, cattle rustling and banditry is for nomadic herdsmen to live more sedentary lives in order for them to be more productive and give their children education and access to better healthcare.
The governor argued that nomadic or transhumance cattle breeding has been rendered obsolete by urbanization and population growth as most of the cattle routes have been taken over by development.
