I only compensate victims of banditry, I’ll never give money to bandits – Kaduna Gov, Sani

• Sani noted that the insecurity in the North-West is largely fuelled by poverty and deprivation, unlike the ideological underpinnings of Boko Haram in the North-East

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has said the idea of resorting to financial compensation for bandits is anathema to the principle of justice and fairness.

He stated nobody can claim to be a proponent of justice or advocate of the poor’s well-being and at the same time pay bandits.

Speaking on Thursday while fielding questions on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme,
Sani said that instead of compensating the perpetrators of violence, his administration has focused on supporting the victims.

Sani noted that the insecurity in the North-West is largely fuelled by poverty and deprivation, unlike the ideological underpinnings of Boko Haram in the North-East.

Responding to earlier criticisms that he was allegedly trying to negotiate with or pay bandits, Sani said such accusations are spurious as they are against his long-standing advocacy for justice.

He disclosed that he realised that the insecurity in the northwest can’t be tackled with a force and boots-on-the-ground strategy.

He said: “Looking at security issues, we just have to sit down and analyse what the symptoms and the drivers of insecurity are. I agree with you that Boko Haram is more of an ideological issue. But when you are talking about insurgency in the North West, it’s an economic matter. That’s why when we came in, I said, look, we can’t resolve it with a kinetic approach only.

“When I started, a lot of people were criticising me saying ‘you are trying to pay bandits’. But I told them a man who fought for justice and for the downtrodden can’t sit down with the bandit and pay him.

“So they were surprised only two weeks ago when I came up with my own programme, where I gave houses to the victims of insurgency instead of compensating or giving anything to the bandits. I haven’t given one naira to the bandits but I have built houses for the victims of banditry in Kaduna”