A look at the new sheriff in ZAMFARA

On December 23 2020, IGP Muhammad Idris approved the appointment of CP Abutu Yaro and deployed him as the new Zamfara Police Commissioner. SANUSI MUHAMMAD GUSAU takes a look at his  approaches to making Zamfara peaceful and crime-free. 
The Commissioner of Police Zamfara State Command (CP) Abutu Yaro took over from CP Usman Nagogo on  December 23, 2020 while Usman Nagogo was redeployed to the Force Headquarters, Abuja.CP Abutu is an Indigene of Kogi state and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree  from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in 1986. After his National Youth Servce Corp at the Police College Ikeja in 1987, CP Abutu was enlisted into the  police as Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1988. He had his cadet training at the Nigeria Police Academy, (Kaduna Annex) where he successfully passed out and was posted to Benue State State Police Command where he undergone a compulsory one year attachment. His last duty post was as Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations Force Headquarters, Abuja. 


Work experiences
Abutu served in many capacities in the force including as DPO Igando in Lagos, Ojo–Alaba, Onikan, Bode Thomas, Deputy Commander, Mopol Unit, Presidential Villa, Abuja, 2i/C Mopol 19, Port Harcourt; Commanding Officer, Mopol 42 Gusau, Zamfara state,  Area Commander, Bori – Ogoni, Rivers state, Area Commander, Gwagwalada, FCT Abuja and Area Commander, Warri. Others are as AC Operations, FCT Police Command; Commander Counter Terrorism Training School, Nonwa Port Harcourt; DCP Financial Malpractice Investigation Unit, Lekki; DCP General Investigation Department, Force CID, Abuja and Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja. 


Professional courses attended.
 As a seasoned police officer, CP Abutu has attended many courses within and outside the country and this includes Mopol Combat Training Course at Mobile Police Training School, Gwoza Borno state, Junior Command Course 36/2001, at Police Staff College, Jos,  Senior Command Course at Police Staff College Jos, member, International Association of Chief of Police, 44 Canal Centre Plaza #200, Alexandria VA 22314, Virginia, USA, member of Course 28/2019 – 2020, at National Defence College Abuja, among others. 


Hobbies 
CP Abutu likes hunting and travelling which made him to travel to countries such as United Kingdom (Liverpool), Saudi Arabia, Republic of South Africa, Senegal, Benin Republic, among others. When he came on board as the new Commissioner of Police in Zamfara, he embarked on tour of all the 17 Emirates with a view to seeking synergy with traditional, religious and community leaders on how to find lasting solution to the lingering insecurity bedevilling the state.


Hitting the ground running
During his maiden press conference on December 24, 2020, Abutu promised that one of his policy trusts would be deepening the implementation of Zamfara peace accord through engagement and interaction with all the stakeholders in the state in order to nip the state of all forms  of militia groups, armed banditry and all other savagery in the state.He also mentioned that  priority would be community participation towards achieving peace in the state. “This is because in this era of technology where the world has become a global village, community partnership and intelligence-led policing is more than necessary. 


Achievements so far
Since he came on board as a Commissioner of Police in the state, he has achieved a lot, for instance, in the area of setting up Police Peace and Implementation Committee. In his determination to consolidate and advance the successes recorded through the ongoing peace initiative in the state, the committee is currently headed by the Chief Imam of Zamfara, Police Command representative in the person of SP Alhassan Suleiman assisted by the  O/C SIB CSP Rufa’i Ahmad Nuhu and four other Fulani speaking police officers. The mandate of the committee is to interact and dialogue with all warring parties especially Fulani bandits operating in different camps and locations in the state. The committee is also to facilitate the surrendering of arms and ammunition by repentant bandits, providing religious interface such as Tafsir and Islamic re- orientation to Fulani nationalities in the forests and pastoralists camps and accessing peace through Islamic appeasement.Following the construction of the new Shinkafi Police Area Command office by the Force Headquarters Abuja,  CP Abutu has on behalf of the IGP Mohammed A Adamu commissionedthe new Police Area Command.While commissioning the project, he said the project was part of the determination and commitment of the IGP and federal government to provide a conducive working environment for officers and men of the command so that they can discharge their mandate of safeguarding the public. Following a condolence and assessment visit of Governor  Bello Matawalle on Saturday January 23, 2021 to Kanoma and Janbako districts of Maru and Maradun LGAs over recent attacks on some villages and communities and assurances of the governor to return all Internally Displaced Persons  to their respective ancestral communities as well as to deploy adequate security operatives to safeguard their safety and security, the following day, CP Abutu established two police outposts in Kanoma and Janbako districts and posted adequate number of joint conventional police operatives and indigenous members of Special Constabulary to take over the security architecture and restore public safety and security of the affected areas. This was made known by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command, SP Muhammad Shehu in a statement. It added that the CP further created additional Pin Down point at Amumo Village along Colony – Faru road. The point was adequately  equipped with joint security operatives that includes, Police Mobile Personnel from 78 PMF Maradun, Police Operatives attached to Federal Highway Patrol and Civil Defence Operatives. “The Initiative is in line with the police, other security agencies in collaboration with the Zamfara state government’s commitment to rid all nooks and crannies of the state of all forms of criminal activities and further restore public confidence and trust on the capability of the government and the security agencies to protect their lives and properties,” the statement reads.According to him, prior to their deployment, the Commissioner of Police has briefed the security personnel where he charged them to be more alive to their mandate by working in unity and collaboration with the host communities. He also warned them to be conscious of their personal safety and the safety of the people they serve. He however warned against extortion as government is working towards their welfare. It is however clear that Abutu cannot achieve his predetermined goals in making Zamfara peaceful without the support from the good citizens of the state affected by banditry through Community Policing System by providing adequate information about any strange movement by people or persons to police for prompt response.

Leave a Reply