Despite the observations by Chief of Defence Lucky Irabor, Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle says his directive to Zamfara State residents to acquire arms and defend themselves against bandits still stands.
He has gone a step further by inaugurating four committees to implement all strategies designed by his administration to counter banditry and restore peace to the state.
The committees are namely Intelligence Gathering on Banditry, Community Protection Guards (CPG), Prosecution of Banditry-Related Offences, and State Security Standing Panel.
Mattawale further donated 20 new Toyota Hilux vans and 1,500 motorbikes to enable the members to commence operations.
Making a veiled reference to Irabor’s opposition to his order, the governor said that as a government that swore to an oath to protect its citizens, “we will do everything possible to uphold this responsibility within the ambit of the law.”
“We are aware of misgivings expressed in some quarters regarding the new measures, particularly the decision to encourage members of the communities suffering almost daily from the inhumane aggressions of the bandits to acquire firearms to defend their communities,” the governor said in a statement by his Press Secretary, Jamilu Magaji.
He assured that “the acquisition and usage of firearms by members of the general public who desire to do so would be governed by the Nigeria Firearms Act.”
