As Nigeria moves to launch $165 million fund to support victims of banditry, committee finding solutions to the crime that has killed more than 6,319 people has indicted five Emirs for their complicity, reports said on Saturday.
The victim support fund is to be set up by Zamfara state government in Northwest Nigeria, where banditry is a nightmare.
According to the committee, there is concrete evidence that the emirs were aiding bandits thwarting efforts of the federal government and security operatives to return peace to the solid mineral rich Zamfara state.
A former Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, Chairman of the committee, released its findings on Friday night and also reported that 33 district and several village heads were accomplices of the bandits.
In the report he submitted to Governor Bello Matawalle, the names of the emirs were not mentioned but also unveiled that 10 soldiers and some policemen were also aiding bandits.
The 300-page report recommended that those emirs and individuals and security personnel who excelled in the fight against banditry for over a decade now should be conferred with national honours to serve as encouragement to others.
The governor who received the report which covers eight years period reported that the victim support fund would specially cater for thousands of children who lost their parents to banditry.
According to the report, 4,983 women were widowed, 25,050 children orphaned and 190,340 persons displaced by banditry a period of nine years.
Herdsmen lost 2,015 cattle, 141 sheep and goats, 2,600 donkeys and camels to rustlers while 147,800 vehicles, motorcycles and others were burnt.
“I will discuss the recommendations of the committee with President Muhammad Buhari, especially the victim support fund which will be launched in the first quarter of 2020,” the governor said.
MM/abj/APA