Northern Pulse: Peace group seeks military intervention over kidnapping, banditry in Kurmin Kaduna

By Fatima Dayyab Usman

Peace Revival Awareness, Kurmin Kaduna Chapter, has appealed for urgent military intervention to address rising cases of kidnapping and banditry in the community and its environs.

The group made the appeal in a letter addressed to the Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna State Government.

It said residents had lived in constant fear for several months following repeated attacks by armed men on homes, farms and highways.

According to the group, the attackers abduct residents and demand huge ransoms, forcing many families to flee their homes.

It said the security situation had also affected children, who could no longer attend school or visit farms without fear of being attacked.

“The peace we have worked hard to build as a peace advocacy group is being threatened daily,” the group said.

The group said efforts by local vigilantes and community leaders had not been enough to contain the attacks.

It said the scale and sophistication of the attacks had overwhelmed the capacity of community-based security arrangements.

According to the group, the lives and livelihoods of thousands of residents in Kurmin Kaduna, surrounding villages and adjoining areas are at risk.

It therefore called for the immediate deployment of military personnel to Kurmin Kaduna for 24-hour patrols and rapid response.

The group also appealed for the establishment of a military base or outpost in Kurmin Kaduna to provide permanent security presence.

It further urged the military to intensify operations aimed at flushing out bandits and criminal hideouts in forests and border areas around the community.

The group called for stronger collaboration between security agencies and community leaders to improve intelligence gathering and community policing.

It expressed confidence that the presence of military personnel would help restore normalcy and enable residents to resume their daily activities without fear.

“Residents can once again sleep with their two eyes closed,” the group said.

The Peace Revival Awareness said it remained committed to supporting peace initiatives, sensitisation programmes and cooperation with security agencies.

It urged the authorities to treat the security situation as a matter of life and death, stressing that residents deserved to live in peace, safety and dignity.