Zamfara: Buhari reacts to latest killings, issues fresh order
President Muhammadu
Buhari has directed state governments across the Northwest to pursue an urgent
revamp of the national security apparatus in the subregion.
A statement issued
in Abuja on Sunday by Garba Shehu, his Senior Special Assistant on Media and
Publicity, said the partnership followed the infiltration of bandits into areas
that were hitherto secure.
”This is coming on
the heels of the recent killing of 34 persons in an attack on Tungar Kafau and
Gidan Wawa communities in Shinkafi Local Government Areas of Zamfara,” the
presidential aide said.
Shehu quoted
President Buhari as expressing sorrow over the renewed attacks and extended his
sympathies to the governments and people of Sokoto and Zamfara states.
The president
charged all stakeholders, including the federal security agencies and the
states involved in drawing up the long-term strategic defence plan to begin its
immediate implementation.
”Under the plan,
states are joining the federal government in supporting the security and
military operations by providing logistical support.
”States are
providing additional vehicles in addition to those provided from the center.
”The federal
government is establishing new forward operation bases and when all of these
come together, the ongoing operations will be scaled up,” the presidential aide
added.
According to him,
the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the various State Emergency
Management Agencies (SEMA) are expected to streamline their operations to
provide succor to displaced persons.
He noted that
thousands of the displaced persons were taking refuge in the neighboring Niger
Republic.
Shehu expressed the
hope that the full implementation of the plan would provide security for
residents to return to their deserted communities.
He reiterated the
determination of the Buhari administration to safeguard lives and property of
all citizens, assuring that the government ”will not fail in that regard”.
Zamfara: Gov. Matawalle leads operation against bandits in the state
Governor Bello Matawalle
of Zamfara State has led security agencies in the state on an operation against
bandits in their bush camps and hideouts near Wonaka town in Gusau Local
Government area of the state.
The News Agency of
Nigeria reports that the governor was yesterday accompanied by his deputy,
Mahadi Aliyu-Gusau, and heads of security agencies in the state on his way to
Lilo community in Mada district of Gusau Local Government Area.
Bandits had
on Saturday attacked Lilo community which resulted in the killing of eight
persons while 18 others were injured.
The bandits were
chased away at their camps during the governor’s unannounced visit to the area.
They abandoned
their hideouts and crossed a nearby river and disappeared from the operatives
who were on the governor’s motorcade.
The governor said,
“As Chief security officer of the state, l have to show a good example, I have
no option than to lead security agencies for this operation.”
“As a leader, I
have to show commitment to my people toward addressing this problem.”
The entourage also
included the Emir of Gusau, Ibrahim Bello, Secretary to the State Government,
Bello Bala, State Chairman of People Democratic Party (PDP), Ibrahim Mallaha,
and other top government officials in the state.
The District Head
of Wonaka, Kogo Balarabe, thanked the governor for the visit.
Mr Balarabe said,
“We are happy with this visit, for over eight years, we have no any concern
from the authorities like this, we cannot express our feelings today.
“We are happy with
the efforts of government, we thank security agencies intervention during
yesterday’s attacks which helped in containing the situation,” he said.
The Chairman of Vigilante
Group in the area, Sani Danmudi, appealed to government for more intervention
to address the security challenges in the area, saying that many villages in
the area had been sacked by the bandits.
Zamfara killings: President
Buhari under fire for offering Fulani militia, bandits N100bn
Human
Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has described as a
constitutional crime and an unmitigated evil tantamount to an impeachable
offence the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari administration to go into
dialogue in Zamfara State with armed fulani militia and bandits.
HURIWA frowned at an alleged planned to appease “these mass murderers”
with the whooping sum of N100 billion from the tax payers under the guise of
setting up cattle ranches for their totally privately owned businesses of
herders.
Besides, the group also carpeted the Acting Inspector General of
Police, Alhaji Adamu Mohammed, for gleefully announcing the ‘truce’ reached in
Zamfara between the Federal Government’s delegation made up largely of
Hausa/Fulani Muslem dominated internal security team of the current
administration and the Miyetti Allah cattle owners Association- a group that
supports the activities of armed fulani Herdsmen over the past few years.
HURIWA expressed disappointment that a supposed chief law enforcement
officer of the Country can descend so low as to beg persons suspected to have
been carrying out persistent armed banditry and attacks across Zamfara, Kaduna,
Niger, Katsina, to stop attacking Nigerians when it is the constitutional
obligation of the Nigeria police force to enforce law and order and bring all
criminal suspects to face the legal consequences of their crimes against
humanity and against the Nigerian State.
In a statement issued over the weekend against the
backdrop of the purported meeting between the Federal Government and the
leadership of Miyetti Allah cattle owners association, the group said the only
possible reason the current administration could enter into dialogue with armed
bandits is because the offenders share the same Ethno-religious affiliations
with the holders of the top security portfolios who make up the exclusive
Hausa/Fulani dominated Internal Security architecture.
The statement added, “The members of the current national security team
made up of mostly one Ethnicity and persons of one Religious affiliations same
with the armed fulani herdsmen and bandits have always made decisions that
reflects their biasness and inclination to pamper and protect these armed
bandits who ought to be dealt a heavy blow in line with the constitutional
provisions.
“The other time the minister of Defence who is from Zamfara state was
the person who rather than condemn and order the arrest and prosecution of
armed fulani herdsmen unleashing mayhem and violence in Benue state was the one
who tried to provide some kind of justification for these dare devil blood
cuddling attacks on Benue communities by blaming the properly passed state legislation
banning open grazing of cattle which has been at the core of much of the
bloodshed.
“The minister of interior who is Fulani Moslem has on many occasions
belittled the gravity of the armed fulani violent attacks and dismissed it not
as a terror campaign but as a mere law and order issue which the police can
handle.
“These members of the internal security team including Mr President
have openly made statements that are obviously ambiguous and have failed to
decisively treat these attacks by armed bandits and armed fulani attacks as a
major national security challenge.
“This is why there is the urgency of the now for President Buhari to
obey the constitution and appoint persons of diverse Ethno religious
affiliations to make up the national security team and professionally and
clinically tackle the rising waves of insecurity and national paralysis.
“As a group of committed patriots, we are shocked to read that this
government has entered into a communion of the devil with the armed bandits and
armed fulani herdsmen who have wreaked havoc and unleashed devastation across
many communities in Nigeria.
“Why do we have laws and why do we have institutions of law
enforcement? This shameful piece of bad news of seeking to bribe outlaws and
terrorists by this government must be seen for what it is. It is treason that
must be seen as an immediate impeachable offence.
“All those who communicated with bandits and outlaws must be arrested
and prosecuted for high treason because the laws must not be a respecter of any
person.”
HURIWA recalled that in a bizarre twist, the Federal Government
practically offered monumental bribe against pur laws to the Miyetti Allah
Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, by offering it N100 billion
over two years to stop kidnapping in the country.
The Federal Government delegation was led by the Minister of Interior,
Abdul-Rahman Dambazau, and met with MACBAN leaders on Friday.
HURIWA quoted the media as reporting that this satanic meeting was a
closed door event which lasted for over five hours as monetary negotiations
according to a source dragged on until N100 billion was accepted.
MACBAN had said it would take nothing less than N160 billion.
But briefing news men after the meeting the exhausted Minister said, the
“gathering is part of steps we have taken to tackle insecurity and clashes
between herdsmen and farmers.”
“You should not forget the fact that we have extended the meeting as a
regional one when the Economic Community of West African Countries hosted a conference
on this,” it added.
HURIWA quoted the media as saying that General Danbazau affirmed as
follows: “These issues were discussed, and part of the dialogue was to provide
a national action plan on security challenges and solutions by all members of the
ECOWAS commission, and to present it to the commission for consideration.
“That is the main reason we have come to Kebbi State, to dialogue with
leaders of herdsmen as part of the process.”
