Terrorists threaten polls in 40 Kaduna, Zamfara, Imo, others’ LGs

The state of insecurity in Nigeria has assumed a frightening dimension as over 40 local government areas in different parts of the country are firmly in the control of various non-state actors, including terrorists, bandits and so-called unknown gunmen. The ungoverned territories are spread over local government areas in Kaduna, Zamfara, Niger, Katsina, Sokoto, Abia and Imo states. The situation is threatening the conduct of the 2023 general elections, especially in those ungoverned territories as the security of electoral personnel and voters cannot be guaranteed. Bandit-governed Kaduna LGs For instance, some rural communities in Kaduna State are currently deserted as a result of the activities of bandits in the state, Saturday PUNCH reports. Local government areas being governed by bandits in the state are Chikun, Kajuru, Kachia, Zangon Kataf, Kauru, Lere, Birnin Gwari and Giwa. The bandits had in the past been kidnapping and killing residents on a daily basis but for the current onslaught on them by the troops of the Nigerian Army. The spokesman for the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, Luka Binniyat, said the areas that had become ungovernable space in the state were the size of Abia State. He told one of our correspondents that Governor Nasir El-Rufai had made a belated and unfortunate admission that terrorists had taken over the state and were forming parallel governments. Binniyat stated, “This admission is a confirmation of the various alarms that were continuously raised by SOKAPU and the Southern Kaduna community development associations since 2019. “In reaction to these alarms, the Kaduna State Government once challenged anybody to name any community that had been taken over and occupied by terrorist A resident of Kajuru, simply identified as Mama Beauty, who currently resides at the Maraban Kajuru internally displaced persons’ camp while narrating her ordeal and that of others in some of the communities sacked by bandits, said they had to abandon their homes following the kidnap of the breadwinners by bandits who had taken over the villages. Asked if the villagers could still participate in the general elections next year, she said it was not possible as the community had since been deserted. A resident of Kuyello in the eastern part of the Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area, one of the worst hit in the state, Adamu Sanusi, said terrorists’ activities in the area had been taking place for many years. He noted that terrorism in the area dated way back to some decades, adding that with the activities of terrorists, there was no way elections could hold in the entire local government area, adding that access to Birnin-Gwari was another problem. He said the Ansaru terror group had banned elections in some parts of the area, adding that nobody was expecting election to hold there, especially in communities in the eastern part of Birnin-Gwari. Adamu stated, “We, the people of Birnin-Gwari have suffered from attacks of the bandits for too long with the authorities not having any solution to the problem. “In just one day, bandits killed over 70 residents and the killing spree has continued unabated. How can election take place when nobody can access the area? How will INEC officials come in to conduct elections in 2023? It’s practically not feasible.” Adamu’s sibling, Ahmed, said apart from killings by the terrorists, residents were being kidnapped and made to serve them as slaves in their farmlands. The Chairman of the Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressives Union, Ishaq Kasai, noted that the last local government election in the state could not hold in the area owing to insecurity, adding that the state government was forced to foist a sole administrator on the people. Efforts to get the reaction of the Kaduna State Police Command over the ungoverned territories were unsuccessful as the Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Jalige, did not take his calls or respond to a text message sent to his mobile telephone. The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Oguwuike Nwachukwu, said INEC had different committees working on the elections in 2023 and it was the only body that was constitutionally empowered to conduct elections. “We are not aware (of security threats) neither has INEC told anybody they will not conduct election in any part of the state for whatever reason,” Nwachukwu stated. While commenting on the readiness of the state police command to restore calm in some of the restive local government areas in the state, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mike Abattam, said he should be given time to make a statement on the issue. “For now, my dear journalist, I am very busy as I am attending to some other pressing issues in the office. Wait for the release that I will push in your box,” Abattam told one of our correspondents