Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State says no money was paid to bandits for them to surrender their arms.
He affirmed that the state government would not enter into any form of dialogue or negotiations with some repentant bandits.
Sani made this disclosure on Channels Television’s Politics Today, a day after the government received some repentant bandits in the state.
Asked if the state government made a financial bargain for the bandits to lay down their arms, the governor said, “We did not give them one naira.”
“There was no monetary issue at all. Most of them are tired, so we sat down with them and asked them, ‘why do you continue to remain in the bush just attacking our people, kidnapping them,” he asked.
Media Talk Africa recalls that on Thursday, the state government received the first set of repentant bandits in Birnin-Gwari and reopened the cattle market, which was closed for about 10 years due to insecurity in the area.
Governor Sani pointed out that it took his administration six months to broker peace with the bandits.
“It is a process that took almost six months precisely to reach this position. Birnin Gwari is one of the most critical local governments in terms of banditry, kidnapping and insurgency in the North-West.
“We also partner with the federal security agencies, the office of the National Security Adviser. So it is a collective effort,” Sani added.
According to him, the disarmament, mobilisation and integration of the repentant bandits are in process.
