[ad_1]
Governments of Niger, Katsina, Kaduna and Zamfara states announce restrictions on residents amid escalating violence.
Four state governments in northern and central Nigeria have imposed a series of restrictions on residents in an attempt to end mass kidnappings and other violent crimes.
Criminal gangs known locally as bandits have sowed fear among local communities for years, but security forces have recently struggled to contain the escalation of violence.
From Wednesday, weekly cattle markets are suspended in Niger state, local government spokesman Ahmed Matane said in a statement.
Gasoline sales are capped and the use of jerry cans at gas stations is banned in several places, he added.
No further details were given to explain the choice of measures, but criminals in the region often use motorcycles and engage in cattle rustling.
“Not all service stations should sell gasoline over 10,000 naira (about $ 20) to each vehicle at a time and should be wary of vehicles or motorcycles coming in for repeat purchases,” said Matane.
It is now illegal to transport three people on motorcycles, he added, and the transport of cattle by truck to other parts of the country is restricted.
Authorities said they were “aware of the drawbacks” but added that measures were needed to rid the state of “carnage and chaos” caused by “bandits”.
A nighttime curfew for motorcycle taxis and tricycles is also in place in several places.
Similar measures have been announced in recent days in neighboring states of Katsina, Kaduna and Zamfara.
In Kaduna, authorities have also banned the cutting of trees in some places for fear that loggers will collaborate with bandits.
“Citizens are urged to cooperate with the government as necessary measures are taken against banditry and crime throughout the state,” Samuel Aruwan, Kaduna’s security commissioner, said in a statement.
In Zamfara, Police Commissioner Ayuba Elkanah urged residents to fully comply with the guidelines.
The “government and security agencies are very serious in their quest to end the lingering security problems in the state,” he said.
Violence in the region stems from community clashes over access to land and resources. Groups set up camps in Rugu Forest, Zamfara, from which they launch attacks in neighboring states.
The Nigerian armed forces first deployed to the region in 2016, but attacks have persisted.
Since December, some of the criminals have turned to mass kidnappings, mostly of students and schoolchildren, extorting ransoms from parents and others.
More than 1,100 students have been kidnapped from their schools or colleges in northwest Nigeria since December 2020. More recently, mass kidnappings have been carried out by armed gangs demanding ransom.
The latest kidnapping was reportedly on Wednesday at a secondary school in Kaya, a rural town in Zamfara.
A school staff member confirmed to Reuters news agency that an attack had taken place and said the number of abducted children was not yet known as the count was underway. He said more than 500 children were enrolled in the school.
[ad_2]
Source link
