Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai has stressed his administration will not negotiate with bandits and criminals.

He said his job as Governor is to enforce the law and prosecute offenders but not preach repentance to them.

El-Rufai restated his government’s position during an expanded meeting of the State Security Council at the Council Chambers of Sir Kashim Ibrahim House on Tuesday.

In addition to regular members from the state government, security agencies and traditional rulers, the meeting featured religious leaders and invited guests from professional associations, trade unions and civil society groups.

“We will not engage with bandits or kidnappers. Private citizens like clerics and clergy men can do so in their individual capacities, to preach to them and ask them to repent. We also want them to repent but it is not our job ask them to do so,’’ he stressed as reported by The Nation.

According to him, the best way to solve the farmer-herder clashes, cattle rustling and banditry is for nomadic herdsmen to live more sedentary lives to be more productive and give their children education and access to better healthcare.

The Governor argued that nomadic or transhumance cattle breeding has been rendered obsolete by urbanisation and population growth as most of the cattle routes have been taken over by development.

El-Rufai said Kaduna State Government is implementing a big ranching project in Damau Grazing Reserve in Kubau local government, adding the project will make about 1,500 herdsmen sedentary.

He emphasised the project will enable the herders to raise their cattle in a facility with pastures, a school and a Primary Health Centre with a commercial partner ready to buy their milk.