“I Will Not Pay Ransom or Negotiate with Bandits, Defend Yourself,” Niger Governor Bago Tells Residents

Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, has declared that his administration will neither pay ransom nor negotiate with bandits, urging residents to take responsibility for their own safety in the face of ongoing attacks.

During a visit to Rijau and Magama local government areas—both recently hit by bandits operating from the Kontagora axis—the governor said the state had reached a critical point that required collective resistance. Bago warned that paying ransom would only embolden the criminals and turn kidnapping into a lucrative 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 continue kidnapping people,” he said. “The situation has reached a state of war that requires collective resistance. 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.”

Describing the repeated attacks and displacement of communities as “embarrassing and unacceptable,” the governor announced plans to recruit and train 10,000 personnel into the state’s joint task force to strengthen local security and restore peace.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Print Media, Aisha Wakaso, Governor Bago also announced a total ban on all mining activities across Zone C, which includes Magama, Kontagora, Rijau, Wushishi, Mariga, Borgu, Mashegu, and Agwara local government areas. He explained that illegal mining had become a key factor fueling insecurity in the region, with miners reportedly gaining easy access to forest areas where residents fear to go.

“It is suspicious that miners can enter the forests freely, yet the bandits don’t touch them. I have ordered the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to arrest anyone caught engaging in mining activities,” Bago stated.

The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ending the cycle of violence and restoring lasting peace across Niger State.