By IBRAHIM BELLO

The Kebbi Government has refuted an online media report that bandits have taken control of some villages adjudicating in Sharia Courts and self-appointed traditional rulers in the state.

The state Deputy Gov. Sen. Umar Abubakar-Tafida, debunked the report at a news briefing in his office in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday.

“There is no single village, in the whole of Kebbi State, where bandits are in-charge of Sharia courts or have appointed village heads of their choice.

“The report is false, with no iota of truth; this is just the imagination of writers of such online news.

“We do not have a bandit base or camp in Kebbi. These marauders infiltrated from neighboring states, and from Niger Republic to Kebbi through their informants to strike and retreat,” he said.

Abubakar-Tafida assured that the state government had put in place incisive and effective strategies to put an end to the acts of banditry.

“The delegation sent by the state government under the leadership of the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu to meet with the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa has held a fruitful discussion with the military high-command.

“This discussion was on ways to wipe out banditry and insurgency in Kebbi, Northwest and the North generally,” he said.

Abubakar-Tafida announced that, so far, N92.5 million had been disbursed to the families of victims who lost their lives in the bandits’ attack on Friday, Nov. 7.

“Gov. Nasir Idris donated N50 million, Sen. Bagudu gave N30 million, members of the National Assembly from the state donated N10 million while Minister of State for Humanitarian Services, Dr Tanko Sununu, donated N2.5 million to the families.

"We are grateful to them for their condolence visit to Mera in Augie Local Government Area, as well as their benevolence to the victims,” the deputy governor noted. (NAN)