Barely a month after some communities in Shiroro local government area of Niger State pledged their allegiance to notorious bandit warlord Dogo Gide and his group, more communities in the area have followed suit and have submitted themselves to the rulership of the most dreaded Bandits leader in the state.

Following a peace meeting between the communities and the Bandits leader on Thursday last week where no fewer than 36 villages declared their loyalty to the group, he (Dogo Gide) has agreed for the communities to re-open three major markets in the area that were shut as a result of insecurity.

Among the latest villages that pledged their allegiance to the Bandits leader are Makera, Dnakogbe, Kudodo, Agyeiwi, Zhazhayidna, Pyegbere, Gamdu, Akpaituko, Dnasapa, Dnasa and Goffah, all under Iburo district.

In Kusasu district no fewer than 11 villages, namely Bmukwo, Dnakundna, Saleri, Apaiwi, Kuchiwi, Gwasankasa, Ajatawi, Muaigu, Kuchiwidna, Ubandoma, Anguwan-shahu, Katigbe and Jenuko, while in Kwaki, 14 villages were among those that declared their support for Dogo Jide leadership. They are Mutundaya, Alaiyi-kwaki, Buresidna, Kasayabana, Azhayi, Anguwan-Ayaba, Jidna, Kacheredna, Gbada, Sindnayi, Ajatawi, Goha, Ajayi-Bataro, Danugbayi.

However in the Chikuba district, 11 villages namely Affarpi, Dnai, Gyidnai, Kudumidna, Dnaibui, Shapai, Thopoi, Challipai, Yanka, Bodo, Bududna joined the long list of villages that pledged their allegiance to the warlord.

A source close to these communities who disclosed this latest development to our correspondent in a telephone interview in Minna, also said that three major markets in the area that were shut down and hitherto remained a no-go-area for the people as a result of the banditry activities have been re-opened on the order of the bandit warlord.

According to him, the affected markets are Kusasu market, Iburo market and Chukuba market, adding that “Dogo Gide also told the people that he will be in charge of all the revenue collection in the markets and the people agreed because they have no choice, at least if that is what will make them live in peace.

“He also asked all the communities that fled from their homes as a result of incessant attacks in the areas to return back. He promised them that nobody would attack them henceforth after they agreed with his terms,” he added.

It was gathered that during the well-attended peace meeting, the people contributed food and drinks to celebrate the bandits whom they referred to as their leader.

It could be recalled that barely one month ago about eight communities in the area surrendered themselves to the leadership of the bandit warlord and pledged their loyalty and allegiance to the group.

The communities are Kusasu, Kwaki, Chukuba, Gulana, Nakuna, Yanka and Kurebe where the bandits warlord has continued to operate with impunity for years now.

Meanwhile, the Niger State House of Assembly has called on the Executive arm of the Government to collaborate with security agencies in order to provide adequate security to enable contractor handling various roads contracts in the state to return back to sites.

The lawmakers particularly asked the state government to provide adequate security to the contractor handling the 16.5km Zumba Erena Road and the 2.2km Erena township road which the contractor was awarded in December 2019 to Messrs Triacta Nigeria Ltd at the initial Cost of N3.6billion.

The contract was abandoned after five workers of the company were kidnapped by Bandits in 2020 and ransom worth over N7million was paid for their release after three months in captivity.

The House in a resolution after a report by the Joint Committees on Works and Security presented by the Chairman Hon. Abubakar Suleiman Gomna, a member representing the Bosso constituency on the floor of the house on Wednesday.

The committee had informed the house that the Committee in the course of its findings, met with officials of the Ministry of Works which is the supervising ministry before arriving at its resolution, adding that N1.8billion was paid to the contractor before abandoning the site, leaving the balance of N1.8 billion.

According to the committee, only 53.7 per cent of the work has been achieved, pointing out that the contractor is no longer willing to return back to the site due to the deteriorating security situation in the area.

“The Triacta Nigeria Limited has formally written a letter to the ministry with respect to the security threat and its inability to continue work at the site which was transmitted to the executive arm of the government,” the committee added. (Daily Sun)

Update news