From Maiharaji Altine, Gusau
Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state has provided the newly launched Community Protection Guards (CPG) with 1,500 specially equipped motorcycles and 20 vans equipped with lawfully allowed weapons.
The Governor stated this during a state-wide broadcast at the Government House Gusau this morning.
Matawalle said, “Since the institution of the new measures, we have provided our Community Protection Guards with 1,500 motorcycles equipped with combat-ready arsenals to complement the efforts of the conventional security services in securing our communities”.
“We have also provided legitimate weapons to the Community Protection Guards in each of the 19 emirates councils”.
He said the state Government would continue to improve on the newly established Community Protection Guards in order to have sufficient and efficient complement to the law enforcement agents working in the state.
He announced that an emergency number (112) has now been provided for citizens in the state to call on emergency situations any time free of charge.
He also announced the banning of riding of motorcycles in Gusau town the state capital from 8pm to 6am following rampant cases of banditry attacks.
He ordered security operatives to shoot at defaulters of the directive who refuse to stop or avoid arrest.
Matawalle directed to all hotels in the state to seek proper identification of their customers with any valid card such as National ID card, driver’s licence or voters card.
He said, any defaulting hotel in the state would be severely penalised.
“This is in line with an executive order I recently signed”.
I am calling on the people of the state to remain vigilant and report activities of informants are currently being arrested in numbers”.
The Governor has ordered for the census of all house holds in the state with a view to fishing out the bad eggs who reside among the people with sole intent to perpetrate crimnality by aiding the activities of bandits.
“We have directed an immediate house-to-house census across the 19 emirates councils with a view to fishing out informants and other people of questionable character”.
With regards to the issue of informants, which is the major impediment in the fight against banditry, I am glad to inform the peace-loving people of Zamfara State that we have succeeded in apprehending many of them.
They are currently being interrogated before being prosecuted in accordance with the fullest extent of the law.
He charged the security operatives in the state to re-double efforts in dealing with the bandits and their collaborators in the state.
