By GARBA MUHAMMAD, Kaduna

Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, retired Col Samaila Yombe Dabai, has blamed the excesses of the Yansakai volunteer group for the recent attack on Munhaye village in Danko-Wasagu Local Government.

Dabai, fresh from a medical trip, said the group’s interference in civil-related matters and cross border operations resulted in the recent reprisal attack and killing of over 20 innocent civilians, two soldiers, abduction and loss of property.

The Deputy Governor, in a statement on Tuesday by his Senior Special Adviser (SSA) New Media, Atom Turba, described the excesses by the Yansakai as betrayal of the trust reposed on the group in complementing security efforts to combat banditry and kidnappings in Zuru Emirate.

He also described increased interference on cases of land, marital, debt and other civil related matters despite series of sensitisations on the need to operate within the jurisdiction as totally unacceptable by the government.

The Deputy Governor admitted that the emergence of Yansakai was a child of necessity owing to banditry and kidnappings in Zuru but wondered how civil matters formed part of the group’s activities despite all the employed means to regulate their actions.

“The governor of Kebbi State, Sen Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, has agreed with me and expected that the group’s illegal activities must have been controlled by now or better still totally eradicated,” he added.

The Deputy Governor narrated how he temporarily relocated to Danko/Wasagu East in 2016 in the bush in pursuit of armed bandits while reiterating the need to defend the territory from external attacks in collaboration with regular security at the border communities instead of unwarranted operations.

He equally warns that decisive actions must be taken as the government has no option left despite sensitisations on several occasions.

“I will personally move to Zuru to handle Yansakai’s illegal activities,” he stated.