Yari condemns security response as armed bandits return to Zamfara

Governor Abdulaziz Yari has criticised the response of the security operatives in the state to the recent return of armed banditry in the state describing it as unconvincing. Briefing newsmen shortly after stakeholders met in Gusau, Yari said for armed bandits to come out from forest and launch a daredevil attack on targets unchallenged is […]

Governor Abdulaziz Yari has criticised the response of the security operatives in the state to the recent return of armed banditry in the state describing it as unconvincing.

Briefing newsmen shortly after stakeholders met in Gusau, Yari said for armed bandits to come out from forest and launch a daredevil attack on targets unchallenged is uncalled for and unacceptable.

He said the security agencies in the state must work in synergy instead of blame game adding that from 2011 to 2015 the state government has purchased 370 operational vehicles for the security operatives.

Gov Yari who referred to the recent deadly raid on the office of the Federal Road Safety Commission in Tsafe local government area of the state lamented the way the attack was handled by the security operatives.

"The confidence of the common man on security is being eroded by the way the security agents are handing the situation. The armed bandits are causing panic among the dwellers of the rural communities by threatening to over run the villages and then abduct prominent persons.

According to him, after a peace deal was struck between the bandits and the state government, amnesty was granted them and they were asked to surrender their weapons but some defiant ones among them, more especially those from the  camp of the notorious cattle rustling kingpin known as Buharin Daji, have decided to breach the terms of the agreement.

He said some of the armed bandits from Buhari’s camp are partly responsible for the recent deadly attacks on the hapless rural communities in the state saying that peace dialogue remains the best option for conflict resolution.

"We learnt that there is a disagreement between Buharin Daji and his boys after he initially agreed to all the peace deals with state government. We are calling on the people in the state cooperate with relevant stakeholders to safe guard lives and property," he added.