BEVERLY HILLS, February 24, (THEWILL) – No fewer than 3,000 repentant bandits have surrendered their arms in Zamfara state at the instance of the state’s Dialogue, Reconciliation and Disarmament Committee.
This was disclosed in Gusau, the state capital by the Deputy Governor of the state and Chairman of the Committee, Ibrahim Wakkala, at an interactive session with the Governor Dave Umahi-led National Economic Council (NEC) Committee on Farmers/Herdsmen Clashes.
The NEC committee was in Zamfara on a fact-finding mission over insecurity challenges faced by the state where 31 people were killed by hoodlums during a recent attack on some villages.
Wakkala declared that the committee had succeeded in restoring peace and stability among communities in the state and commended the state government, security agencies and traditional rulers and all other stakeholders for their efforts.
“With these efforts, our communities are now leaving peacefully and cooperating with security agencies in sustaining peace in the state,” he said.
“Our economic activities at local communities who were displaced are now improved, our local markets are now functioning.”
It was revealed that 1,321 people have been killed and 1,881 others injured in bandits attacks in the state over the last seven years while 185 cars and motorcycles were lost to the attacks during the same period.
Also, 10,000 cattle were lost to rustling and 2,688 hectares of farm lands and 10,000 houses were destroyed within the period.
In his remarks, the state Governor Abdul’aziz Yari urged the Federal Government to address the problems of shortage of security personnel in the state which he described as the major challenge to government efforts in tackling insecurity in the state.
He said the state, with over four million people, has only 2,000 policemen, 315 soldiers, 400 mobile policemen and less than 100 Air Force personnel which he described as ‘highly inadequate’.
In his response, the Chairman of the visiting committee and Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Dave Umahi, thanked the state government and all stakeholders who contributed during the meeting.
He said that the committee had identified major issues concerning security challenges in the state and would present its findings to the federal government for further actions.
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