I Will Not Negotiate With Bandits — Bago Declares
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has vowed never to negotiate with bandits or pay ransom for kidnapped victims, saying that doing so would only embolden the criminals and worsen insecurity in the state.
Bago stated this during a condolence visit to the people of Rijau and Magama Local Government Areas, whose communities were recently attacked by bandits in Kontagora. He said the state had reached a point where the people must stand up and defend themselves, warning that ransom payments would only turn kidnapping into a thriving business.
“I will not negotiate with bandits. I will not pay ransom. The moment we start paying, they will open shop on our heads and keep kidnapping people,” he said, describing the situation as a state of war that required collective resistance.
He added that it is a constitutional duty for the lives and property of the people to be protected, adding that he will go all out to do that as the constitution does not state how far he should go in protecting the people.
“We are surrounded by enemies, but we will not give up. The constitution gives us the right to defend our lives and property, and we will do just that. There is no going back.”
Bago described it as embarrassing and unacceptable that communities could be invaded and their residents turned into internally displaced persons. He announced plans to recruit and train 10,000 members into the Joint Task Force (JTF) to help restore security, with recruitment beginning immediately.
Bago also declared a total ban on mining across the entire Zone C of the state, which covers eight local government areas including Magama, Kontagora, Rijau, Wushishi, Mariga, Borgu, Mashegu, and Agwara. He said illegal mining had become one of the major drivers of insecurity in the area, with miners often accessing forest zones unharmed while residents suffered repeated attacks. “It is suspicious that miners can enter the forests freely, yet the bandits don’t touch them,” he said, ordering the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to arrest anyone caught engaging in mining activities.
The governor assured victims of recent attacks that his administration would support them. He promised compensation for families of those killed, medical treatment for the injured, and assistance for those who lost their sources of livelihood.
Signed:
Aisha Wakaso
Special Adviser on Print Media
October 22, 2025
