In a bold security pivot, Mohammed Umar Bago, Governor of Niger State, declared that his administration will neither negotiate with bandits nor pay ransom for kidnapped victims—marking a significant departure from conventional responses in Nigeria’s North Central zone. The statement came during condolence visits to communities in the Kontagora axis that had suffered repeated attacks.
Governor Bago described the situation as “a state of war,” arguing that ransom payments effectively licence kidnapping as a recurring business model. “The moment we start paying, they will open shop on our heads and keep kidnapping people,” he warned. He further framed it as a constitutional duty to protect lives and property, dismissing any notion that negotiation is viable.
Under the new policy, the Governor announced the recruitment of 10,000 residents into a Joint Task Force (JTF) to work alongside the military and police. The state also imposed a ban on mining activities across eight local government areas, citing illegal mining’s role in fuelling insecurity.
However effective the rhetoric, significant risks remain. Critics argue that without a robust security logistics framework, rural communities may feel abandoned or exposed. Others ask whether empowering civilian task forces blurs the line between formal policing and community vigilantism. Still, supporters maintain that the decisive posture reflects growing public frustration and the need for a new security paradigm.