Migrant Herders Transiting through Kaduna and Niger States are not Bandits

Kaduna State government assured on Thursday that migrants sighted at Kagarko Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday were transiting herders and not bandits.

Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, made the clarification in a statement issued on Thursday in Kaduna.

“Security agencies have confirmed to the Kaduna State government that a group of migrating persons sighted around Tafa village in Kagarko Local Government Area was a band of traveling herders.

“This followed several distress calls from citizens on the movement of perceived bandits in the Lambata-Kabbo area of Tafa village, in Kagarko Local Government Area.

“In response to the reports, troops and police operatives were mobilised to the area for confirmation and possible engagement.

“The troops trailed the group to an open field at Toba village, Tafa, in Niger State.

“Upon confirmatory checks, it was discovered that they were herders transiting from Dobi in Gwagwalada (FCT) and Gawu-Babangida in Lambata (Niger State) going to their original stations in Jos and Bauchi,’’ Aruwan stated.

He added that security operatives conducted a headcount of the migrants which showed that there were 53 men, women and children in the travelling party.

“There were nine adult males, seven young males and 37 women and children.

“A thorough inspection showed that they had three motorcycles and no dangerous or incriminating materials were found in their possession,’’ he added.

Aruwan expressed the state government’s appreciation of citizens’ responses to security issues around them.

In a seemingly related development, migrating herders were sighted around Bwari Local Government Area of the Federal Capital Territory on Wednesday, a situation which sent panic into residents,

The area where they were sighted is close to the Lambata-Kabbo area of Tafa village, in Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The Federal Capital Territory, Niger and Kaduna States share common boundaries.

The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Bwari Police Station, CSP Biodun Makanjuola, said that it was possible that those sighted were migrants returning to their villages to begin cropping with the onset of the rains.

He also assured residents on Thursday that those sighted were not necessarily bandits.

“I think a radio programme where some contributors said a truckload of suspected insurgents were sighted at Sabon-Bwari, a town close to Sabon-Wuse area of Niger State, caused the panic .

“We monitored the situation throughout Wednesday to see if there would be any infiltration and we are still doing so till Thursday morning,’’ Makanjuola hinted.