The Rector of Kaduna Polytechnic, Professor Idris Bugaje has called for the massive recruitment of local hunters from every Local Government Area of the 19 Northern states in order curb the menace of Boko Haram terrorists in the northeast and bandits attacks in the northwest and other parts of the region.
Part of his recommendations is that the hunters must be given a short training on communications and intelligence gathering during operations and thereafter be provided with weapons and other logistics that will enhance their operations.
In a statement titled; “Formula-100: Solution to the Growing Banditry and Insurgency in the North”, the Professor of Engineering, said recruiting at least 100 hunters in each local government of the north is the model every state in the region must adapt if they must tackle the security challenges in the north.
“These hunters must be screened at their ward levels to ensure they are of good character with guarantors in the community including Heads of Families, Imams, ward, and village heads. For long these traditional institutions had been neglected and in some places, the bandits have incorporated them into their networks,” Professor Bugaje said.
The security network according to the academician should have a Commander in each local government, who will be given the mandate to clear the bandits in their Local Government Areas.
“Where there is a need for coordinated action across the neighboring LGAs, the Commanders can sit and organize a joint action. This may be necessary in forests such as Dajin Rugu in Katsina State which covers about six Local Government Areas and part of Zamfara State. I am confident this task will be achieved in a matter of weeks or at worse two months,” he added.
Professor Bugaje also suggests that members of the Civilian Joint Task Force should be absorbed into the Army or Police at the end of the exercise, or better a new Security Outfit should be created for each state to assist in fighting crime in a sustainable way.
Professor Bugaje expressed fear that the region is on a dangerous path of self-destruction if the trend of bandit attacks and insurgency continues unabated.
He also described as very embarrassing bandits attack on a boarding secondary school in Kankara, Katsina State, where over 300 school pupils went missing in a week when the President was on a private visit to his State.
