The Secretary of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, Adams Kefas, on Monday, revealed that spiritualists and vigilantes were paid N14million to fight banditry in the council.
Kefas said this during an interrogation before the Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik Judicial Commission of Inquiry while questioning the suspended Chairman of Shiroro LGA, Suleiman Dauda Chukuba, over a petition on alleged misappropriation of N50million tenement rate.
According to him, some of the spiritualists came from Akare in Wushishi Local Government Area in Niger State and others from Chikun Local Government Area in Kaduna State to help fight insecurity in the council.
The council boss said engagement of the spiritualists was carried out on the directive of the embattled chairman, saying the decision was based on advice by residents in the area.
Kefas said the advisors told them many communities being attacked by bandits had engaged the services of spiritualists and succeeded in resolving the security challenges in the communities.
He said he was initially not told he was going to negotiate with spiritualists until he got there.
“It was not until I reached the place that I knew I was going to engage with spiritualists.
“Then I couldn’t do anything other than to do what I did in assisting my area to solve the security challenges our people were facing on daily basis,” he added.
Responding, Chairman of the Commission, Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, criticised the chairman for being careless in its extra-budgetary expenses on vigilantes and spiritualists.
