Seven repentant bandits surrender weapons to security operatives in Plateau

Seven dreaded bandits have surrendered and turned in their weapons which include AK 47 rifles, to security agencies in Plateau state.

The Special Adviser to Plateau state Governor on Security and Coordinator Operation Rainbow, Brigadier General Gakji Shipi (rtd) who disclosed this while addressing journalists in Jos on Monday, April 22, said that non kinetic approach to security challenges facing the state has started yielding results.

Shipi, who commended security agencies, the vigilante and hunters in Wase local government area of the state for their efforts in recent times towards arresting the spate banditry and other security challenges, said so far seven AK weapons have already been turned in to operatives of Operation Rainbow.

He said the bandits were afraid to come out for fear of victimization, but had willingly returned their weapons and renounced violence, adding that the increasing activities of armed banditry in the state made security agencies shift their attention to other zones in addition to the areas considered as hotspots.

The Special Adviser said that the feat was made possible with the cooperation from the Wase local government authorities, leaders of the local Vigilante groups, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria ((ALGON) the DSS and the police.

“For quite some time now, we have been taking a look at the security situation bedeviling the state and apart from the kinetic approach, we have decided to adopt the non kinetic means to solve the problem,” he said. 

“We have also decided to shift attention to other areas, especially Wase local government area, which had had its fair share of armed banditry and the endeavours have started recording success.

“Some of the criminals and bandits have returned their weapons to us and you know we are still negotiating, but for fear of being prosecuted, some of them have surrendered their weapons to us without coming out, but with the confidence measures we are building more will return their weapons as well as surrender to the authorities. We have started negations with them.”