The Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, has said the war against banditry is being won by security agencies.
Naija News reports that Governor Lawal said statistics showed efforts are yielding results in addressing bandits’ attacks on communities.
Speaking with Arise News on Tuesday, Zamfara Governor noted that attacks are declining daily and peace is being restored to communities.
“Banditry is going down gradually. I am actually saying the truth, because if you compare the numbers in the past and the numbers today, the number is declining on a daily basis.
“In the past, almost on a daily basis, you would hear that 100 or 200 people were killed in different parts of the state. But now, you hardly hear such numbers,” he said.
He said the success recorded was a result of coordinated efforts involving the federal government, state governmental and security agencies.
“There is a clear understanding and collaboration between the state government, federal government, and all the security agencies. We have put all hands on deck to make sure we secure lives and properties of our people,” he stated.
Lawal commended the role of the state’s Community Protection Guard in the fight against rural banditry.
He noted that the security guards often lead security forces to the hotspots. He added that they most time serve as first responders during attacks. He assured his government would continue to support their operations.
“They are doing incredibly well in their respective local governments. These people live within the communities, and they understand the trend better than the conventional security. In most cases, they lead these security forces to the hotspots.
“We will continue to support them by providing logistics and resources to help them protect their communities,” he promised.
Speaking on the meeting of Northern political leaders and traditional rulers on insecurity, Governor Lawal said North stakeholders are making efforts to tackle the region’s security issues.
“Some of the things we discussed are not what I can openly say in the media, but what I’m telling you is we are making conscious effort to look at the whole situation from the holistic angle,” he said.
He further put his weight behind state policing, noting that local knowledge of every terrain helps in addressing its security challenges.
“You need people who understand the terrain. It’s only when you have that kind of local knowledge that you can fight this problem holistically,” he added.