Influx of miners: No security concerns in Gwarzo — Residents

Residents of Gwarzo Local Government Area of Kano State have faulted a report indicating invasion of their communities by illegal miners purportedly from Zamfara State.

Residents of Gwarzo Local Government Area of Kano State have faulted a report indicating invasion of their communities by illegal miners purportedly from Zamfara State.

It was reported a few weeks ago that strange persons from communities ravaged by banditry in Zamfara and neighbouring Katsina states were trooping into Gwarzo villages, thereby raising security concerns.

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The residents of the local council said no strange faces were noted in their midst as reported, saying they were living in peace devoid of fear.

They added that adequate measures had been put in place to enable them to identify strangers in all communities within the area council and there was no report of such influx of persons either for mining or whatever reason.

Malam Ali Inuwa, a resident of Getso, one of the towns in the local government, said the report of influx of miners was weird and wonderful to them because there were no known mining sites in the LG.

“And since the security issues started in Katsina and Zamfara, residents in all communities within the local government were directed to watch out for strange faces and report accordingly,” he added.

Another resident, Gambo Sherif Gwarzo, re-echoed what Inuwa said.

Salisu Ahmad, another resident simply referred our correspondents to the village head’s house, saying maybe he might have received a report from some communities, “but as an individual, I can tell you that everyone is going about his/her business without any fear.”

Similarly, a traditional title holder at Getso, who refused to be named because he was not authorized to speak on the matter, lamented that an armed robbery incident that took place in the area two weeks ago was given another colouration.

He said reports after the incident heightened fears about the security of the residents in the area as it was presented as if the town had been overrun by armed bandits.

The chairman of the council, Engr Bashir Abdullahi Kutama, reportedly raised the alarm in a town hall meeting with representatives of security agencies and other critical stakeholders recently.

However, the District Head of Gwarzo, Alhaji Shehu Kabiru Bayero, who is a retired Commissioner of Police, told Kano/Jigawa Chronicle that there were no security concerns in his domain especially as it relates to the influx of strange faces in the communities.

“We have established some restrictions regarding land ownership in Gwarzo local government to enable us to have detailed information about who is purchasing land or staying in any part of the Gwarzo community.

“And even if a person had lived in Gwarzo before and left for somewhere, whenever he comes back, such person must be scrutinized again even if he once obtained a land,” he added.

On reported presence of military personnel in the area, Bayero said it had been like that for over three years, saying the LG requested for the presence of the military since the security situation in neighbouring states of Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna started deteriorating in order to give the people more confidence as they go about their businesses.

He said they were preparing to establish their own community-based police to further ensure effective security.