• No village under bandits’ control in Kebbi –Deputy gov
From Molly Kilete, Abuja
Hundreds of angry women and youths from Zamfara State, yesterday, stormed the headquarters of the Department of Security Services (DSS), Abuja, to protest banditry and other security challenges ravaging the state.
The demonstrators, who arrived at the DSS headquarters in 12 long buses at about 10.15am were, however, prevented from gaining access into the facility by operatives.
The protesters blamed their immediate past governor, Bello Matawalle, for the heightened activities of criminals, which they claimed was a fallout of his alleged romance with bandits.
Addressing journalists during the protest, leader of the group, Mallam Musa Mahmud, expressed disappointment that President Bola Tinubu’s government has not given his minister of state for defence a marching order despite the damning evidence presented by his successor, Governor Dauda Lawal.
Mahmud, who is also the chairman of the All Progressives Congress Akida Forum, pleaded that Matawalle should be probed and not given a soft-landing owing to his loyalty to the president.
“The issues here are not just political problems. They are matters of life and death, economic survival and the fundamental human rights of the citizens of Zamfara State that should not be handled lightly.
“We want the DSS to conduct a thorough investigation to save millions of Nigerians and safeguard the integrity of the president and the intelligence community. The agency is in the best position to advise President Bello Tinubu to relieve Bello Matawalle from his position to face an investigative panel and clarify his connections with dangerous individuals like Bello Tagoji, Musa Kamarawa and Ardon Zuru.
“These are not abstract concerns. Zamfara citizens have the right to live free from the constant threat of banditry and violence. These issues should be at the forefront of any reasonable Nigerian who means well for the country.”
Meanwhile, the Kebbi Government has refuted media report that bandits have taken control of some villages adjudicating in Sharia Courts and self-appointed traditional rulers in the state.
Deputy Governor, Umar Abubakar-Tafida, debunked the report at a news briefing in Birnin Kebbi .
“There is no single village, in the whole of Kebbi State, where bandits are in-charge of Sharia courts or have appointed village heads of their choice.
“The report is false, with no iota of truth; this is just the imagination of writers of such online news.
“We do not have a bandit base or camp in Kebbi. These marauders infiltrated from neighboring states, and from Niger Republic to Kebbi through their informants to strike and retreat,” he said.
Abubakar-Tafida assured that the state government had put in place incisive and effective strategies to put an end to the acts of banditry.
“The delegation sent by the state government under the leadership of the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu to meet with the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa has held a fruitful discussion with the military high-command.
“This discussion was on ways to wipe out banditry and insurgency in Kebbi, Northwest and the North generally,” he said.
Abubakar-Tafida announced that, so far, N92.5 million had been disbursed to the families of victims who lost their lives in the bandits’ attack on Friday, Nov. 7.
“Gov. Nasir Idris donated N50 million, Sen. Bagudu gave N30 million, members of the National Assembly from the state donated N10 million while Minister of State for Humanitarian Services, Dr. Tanko Sununu, donated N2.5 million to the families.
“We are grateful to them for their condolence visit to Mera in Augie Local Government Area, as well as their benevolence to the victims,” the deputy governor noted.