By Golok Nanmwa, Jos
No fewer than seven dreaded bandits have surrendered and turned in their weapons which include AK 47 to security agencies in Plateau state.
While addressing Journalists in Jos, the Special Adviser to Plateau state Governor on Security and Coordinator Operation Rainbow Brigadier General Gakji Shipi (rtd) said that a non kinetic approach to security challenges facing the State has started yielding results.
General Ship (rtd) who commended security agencies, the vigilante and hunters in Wase local government area of the state for their efforts in recent times towards arresting the spate banditry and other security challenges said so far seven AK weapons have already been turned in to operatives of Operation Rainbow.
He said the bandits were afraid to come out for fear of victimisation, but had willingly returned their weapons and renounced violence adding that the increasing activities of armed banditry in the state made security agencies to shift their attention to other zones in addition to the areas considered as hotspots.
The special adviser said that the feat was made possible with the cooperation from the Wase local government authorities, leaders of the local Vigilante groups, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria ((ALGON) the DSS and the police.
He said, “For quite some time now, we have been taking a look at the security situation bedeviling the state and apart from the kinetic approach, we have decided to adopt the non kinetic means to solve the problem.
“We have also decided to shift attention to other areas, especially Wase local government area, which had had its fair share of armed banditry and the endeavours have started recording success.
“Some of the criminals and bandits have returned their weapons to us and you know we are still negotiating, but for fear of being prosecuted, some of them have surrendered their weapons to us without coming out, but with the confidence measures we are building more will return their weapons as well as surrender to the authorities.
“We have started negotiations with them and you know these negotiations take time and it also takes time to build trust and for them to show good will and have started to return their weapons.”
Shipi, who did not disclose the number of bandits that had so far surrendered said, “So far seven AK 47 have been returned and if we take it that one belongs to one bandit, that means seven of them has renounced banditry. But as I said we are still negotiating.”
