From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Emir of Zazzau Ambassador Nuhu Bamali and Emir of Birnin-Gwari Alhaji Zubairu Jibrin Maigwari have called on Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai to beef up security in their domains, complaining about the activities of bandits which have become ‘terrible’ in recent times.
The traditional ruler of Zangon-Kataf, Agwatyap Chief Dominic Yahaya, said despite the occasional banditry and kidnappings in his domain, the peace committee he set up was not discouraged to ensure peace in the area.
The Emirs spoke after Governor El-Rufai received the state’s 2020 Annual Security Report from the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs at the Kaduna Government House on Wednesday.
According to Emir of Birnin-Gwari Zubairu Jibrin Maigwari: ‘I want to commend the state government for what it had been doing to ensure peace in the state. It is terrible when you see 200 to 300 bandits with weapons surrounding a village and killings people and collecting their money. Our people paid hundred of millions of naira as ransom.’
Emir of Zazzau Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamali stated: ‘This is my first time of attending a meeting of this nature. The security agencies are up and doing. But we still have challenges in Zaria, Giwa, because after six o’clock in the evening some areas become no go area.There are other dangerous places. However, I commend the military and the State government for a job well done.
Agwatyap Dominic Yahaya said: ‘The report gives clear understanding of security challenges in the State. We saw people vacating their homes and became IDPs. We convened peace summit. Peace and security partnership committee was set up. It was 85-member committee. The committee organised seminar, workshop etc for members. Yet killings continued, but the committee did not give up searching for peace. We are not thwarted, we are not discouraged. We brought everybody on board to understand where we are going. However, when perpetrators are arrested and taken to the police, we don’t know what happened afterwards.We will continue to tread the path of peace. We will continue to work very hard to ensure that there is no reprisal.’
The senator representing Southern Kaduna, Senator Danjuma Laah, who spoke through Zoom online, said: ‘There is a lot of improvement on security issue. The security agencies should not relent. I am of the opinion that more security apparatus should be provided. We must come together irrespective of ethnic and religious difference to end this security challenges. Insecurity does not know Muslims or Christians. So, we must find solutions to it.’
Senator Uba Sani, (Kaduna Central), said: ‘As a member of the National Assembly representing Kaduna Central Zone, I can see that my zone is most affected by this banditry. I visited some community leaders and discussed with them on finding solutions. I agreed with them that those bandits are criminals and we must crush them. We need to support the security agencies as well as our governor to end insecurity.
Senator Abdu Kwari (Kaduna North) said: ‘We commend all royal fathers for keeping peace in their respective domains. We have been reliably informed that these criminals have started regrouping themselves in Kubau hills after they were despatched about two years ago. I have built a camp for security agencies in my Senatorial zone so that they can use it for their operations.’
