Indication has emerged that the shoot-at-sight order by President Muhammadu Buhari may soon begin in Zamfara state, Blueprint reports.
The president gave the order last week through his Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Malam Garba Shehu in an interview with BBC Hausa Service.
Asked on efforts to stem the tide of banditry in Zamfara and other northern states, Shehu said the government would have to resort to lethal force to tackle the rising insecurity.
He said: “The president has ordered security forces to go into the bushes and shoot whoever they see with sophisticated weapons like AK-47. He ordered that whoever is seen with terrible weapons at all should be shot immediately.”
Matawalle reveals
And in a bold move to truly tackle the menace in Zamfara, Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle hinted that the federal government would soon deploy 6,000-capacity troop to the state.
The governor said this Tuesday in a special broadcast to people of the state.
He assured that his administration would remain committed and continue to complement President Buhari’s efforts at ensuring that unrepentant bandits were serially dealt with in line with the law of the land.
Matawalle said: “I was opportune to visit and brief Mr. President just few days back on the security situation of my state after the successful unconditional release of the 279 Government Girls Junior Secondary School Jangebe Female Students, and my state is lucky because Mr. President approved to have additional 6,000 troops to be deployed to the state in order to mitigate the menace of banditry, kidnapping and other criminality bedevilling the state.”
He said the federal government had a two-month grace to recalcitrant bandits to surrender their weapons or be dislodged.
The governor further said the ban of activities of the vigilantes, otherwise known as Yansakai group by his administration, was working, warning them to desist from their outlawed volunteering or face the wrath of the law.
FG getting it right – Security expert
In an analysis of what to expect following the huge deployment of troops, a security expert who spoke under anonymity to this medium on the telephone Tuesday said, this may signal the beginning of the shoot-at-sight order by Mr President.
He said: “You may recall there was an order last week to security agents to shoot anybody found with AK 47 and related weapons. One thing that I see very clearly is that this huge deployment may signal the execution of the order.
“You know just like I do that Zamfara is the hotbed of banditry, and this can only be contained the hard way not kid gloves. It’s going to hellish for these bandits by the time these troops are let loose on them.
“They will be decapacitated and rendered completely ineffective. This, in a way is a plus for the new service chiefs whom I see as willing to make their mark. They are coming up with new strategies.
“If what the governor says is right, then the federal government may have started getting it right. For sure, we cannot continue to watch a group of vagabonds hold the nation hostage. The time to act is now.”
CP dismisses ‘attack video’
In a related development, Zamfara state Police Commissioner Abutu Yaro has described as fake a recent video clip currently circulating on social media platforms and purportedly revealing an attack on police station and killing of policemen by gunmen in the state.
Yaro stated this Tuesday in a statement by the Command Public Relations Officer SP Muhammad Shehu and made available to Blueprint in Gusau.
The CP further said the clip was a calculated attempt by some unscrupulous elements to create apprehension and confusion in the minds of the general public and to further ridicule the good image of the state.
“From the crime statistics of the Command, no Police station/Formation or any Security outfit in the state that was attack by bandits or any group of criminals in the last two years. Therefore, members of the public are enjoined to disregard the video clip and go about their legitimate business,” Yaro said.
He warned public against spreading false information, especially on security matters, adding that, any person or group found in connection with this crime would be arrested, investigated and prosecuted according to the law of the land.
Plot to kidnap schoolchildren in S/west
In a related development, a pan-Yoruba group-Apapo Oodua Koya- has alleged plan by terrorists to abduct schoolchildren in Ogun, Oyo and Ondo states.
To this end, the group warned the concerned governors to build capacity to resist what they described as impending assaults, by having strong security strategies.
Leader of the group, Mr Ahmed Akorede, made the claim in a statement, a copy of which was obtained by Blueprint in Abuja.
Akorede said terrorists ‘hibernating’ in Ogun, Oyo and Ondo forests are targeting primary and secondary schools in the three states.
“The terrorists are at present mapping out their targets in Ondo, Oyo and Ogun states where they are gradually building armed fortresses. The groups are coordinated and linked with the kidnappers in Niger, Zamfara and Kaduna states.”
“We got the information through credible intelligence. We have the capacity to tap some of the communication of the insurgents usually rendered in Fulfulde. They are planning to kidnap schoolchildren in large numbers in any or all of the states mentioned above.
“They are presently located at Yewa in Ogun State, they are in Oke-Ogun in Oyo and Idanre-Ondo town axis in Ondo State,” AOKOYA added in its letter to the state governors.
“It is our responsibility to inform you of the information at our disposal. We hope you begin to trust our intelligence beginning from two years ago when we warned the South-West Governors about armed Fulani cells spread across the South-West forests.
“The governors are Prince Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and Engr. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.
“If you allow this kidnapping to take place, you will be helpless because the security network you have around you is not for you but designed and controlled by enemies of Yoruba Nation. The intelligence information you receive is largely designed to deceive you because you don’t own the structures.
“You are as vulnerable as a lonely bird on a housetop. Your future lay in an alliance with your own people at this difficult moment in Yoruba history.”
The group, however, went further to urge other South-West governors and their nearby counterparts to adopt an aggressive strategy to ruthlessly deal with insecurity in the region, especially as it relates to killings and kidnappings.
It urged other South-West states of “Lagos, Ekiti, Osun, Kwara, Kogi and Itsekiri to adopt” what it called an offensive strategy. There is a fundamentalist ring in the government of Nigeria heavily funded by certain individuals in government and also by two identified Middle East countries. The goal is to make Nigeria the terrorist hub in West Africa. Any conscious student of history should know this is possible if nothing is done to stop them.”
The statement further urged the governors to “identify vulnerable institutions and provide effective architecture. Also, set up what the military calls ‘Watching Posts’ in all towns and villages across Yoruba land.
“Instead of using state budgets, communities should be mobilised to do this on their own. It will be about 15 feet tall mounted with night vision to locate oncoming attacks for immediate security alert. The cost is less than N350, 000 (Three hundred and fifty thousand naira only), including the cost of binoculars for night vision and the building of the post which every community should be able to provide.
“Restructure Amotekun through retraining, recruitment of more hands to give prominent roles to radical Yoruba self-determination youths.”
Irabor assures
Amidst the increasing fear, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Leo Irabor, has assured people of northwest of security of lives and properties.
Irabor stated this Tuesday when he led service chiefs on a courtesy visit to Governor Matawalle at Government House Gusau.
He said the issue of insecurity bedevilling the northwest was of great concern to the federal government, assuring that the military would the needful to ensure relative peace returns for improved economic and social growth of the region.
The defence chief said they were in the state to study the security situation in the state, and also introduce new strategies and mechanism on how to end banditry in the state.
In his response, Governor Matawalle commended the service chiefs on their appointment and urged them to complement Buhari’s effort at tackling banditry and related crimes in the state.
Toddler, 5 others kidnapped in Taraba
In Taraba, the state police command has confirmed the abduction of six persons travelling from Wukari to Takum local government area of the state.
The state police spokesperson, Leha Reform, said the incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday March 9 at Chanchanji, a suburb of Takum local government area.
He said the bandits, who mounted a roadblock, abducted travellers which include two females, three males and a toddler.
Reform also disclosed that a combined security operatives were dispatched to the scene and have launched an investigation to bring those behind the act to justice.
