Executive governor of Niger state, Abubakar Sani Bello has said that repentant bandits returned to their old ways after collecting money to purchase more weapons.
Bello disclosed this during a meeting with a vigilante group at Mariga LGA, stating that the repentance are fake.
He said he visited the vigilantes to boost their morale and to offer more support so they can continue to support the police and other security agencies in the fight against bandits and other criminal tendencies.”
In a statement issued by Mary Noel-Berje, Chief Press Secretary to governor Bello, he said henceforth any bandit who gives up his old ways would be offered a means of livelihood without cash backing.
Bello said “Any bandit that surrenders his weapons and repents from his heinous way of living would be forgiven, and provided with a means of livelihood which would not necessarily include any cash backing.
“From experience, it has been discovered that the repentant bandits, after collecting cash from the dialogue option, they will purchase more weapons and return to their old ways of banditry.”
The governor promised not to disband the vigilante groups. stating that they would remain the security operatives at the community level.
