Gusau
Zamfara State governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, has stated that insecurity has retarded positive development in the state as business activities are almost at a standstill.
The governor also lamented he is the longest serving governor that has suffered insecurity challenges ranging from armed banditry to cattle rustling in the federation.
The governor said since he assumed office in 2011 till date insecurity has remained the greatest challenge of his administration.
Gov Yari stated this when he received the National Economic Council Fact Finding Committee on Security under the chairmanship of Ebonyi State governor, Engr. David Nweze Omahi, who visited him in Gusau, yesterday.
“My mind will never be at rest that herdsmen or common civilians are moving about with AK47 rifle not only in Zamfara state but across the country and are launching barbaric attacks on innocent communities”, Yari said.
He also informed the committee that, zamfara state, besides armed banditry and cattle rustling, has been suffering for a long period of time from criminality which needs to be considered by the committee in their security assessment and interaction session with stakeholders meeting.
Governor Yari reiterated his administration’s determination to curb security challenges and ensure peace across the state, saying his administration had committed about N14 billion on security and will continue partnering with the federal government in its efforts to restore peace and preserve the lives and properties of the people of the state.
He commended the federal government for the unflinching support given to his administration to assist in fighting insecurity in the state.
Speaking during the interaction session with stakeholders the Speaker Zamfara House of Assembly, Hon.Sanusi Garba Rikiji, said available record shows that, 1, 321 cattle have been killed, 1,881 others injured, and over 10, 000 cattle rustled, while over 10,000 houses destroyed.
Also, he said more than 2, 688 hectares of farmlands were destroyed as a result of cattle rustling, armed banditry and other criminality in the state from 2012 to date.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the committee David Omahi said the committee was in the state to assess the security situation and interact with the affected communities, relevant stakeholders in order to proffer positive suggestions that would be submitted to the office of Vice President, Prof. Yomi Osibanjo, for necessary action.
He said the committee has visited Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba states, stressing that all the states visited during the formal interactions with relevant stakeholders call for law against herdsmen and farmers, adding that, the federal government is committed to the protection of lives and properties of Nigerians throughout the 36 States of the federation.
He also attributed inadequate security personnel, ample arms and ammunitions to security operatives, inadequate legalized and permanent grazing lands to Fulani herdsmen as some of the reasons while there is insecurity.
