Banditry: Zamfara launches community protection guards

Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, has commenced training of the newly recruited community protection guards, aimed at fighting bandits.

Speaking during flag off of the training in Gusau, Matawalle said his administration has come up with additional measures for combating insurgency in the state, among which is recruitment of the guards in each of the 19 emirate councils of the state.

He said the decision to establish the outfit was informed by his administration’s desire to work out all possible options to deal with growing banditry and consequent loss of lives in some parts of the state.

Matawalle informed the personnel of the task ahead of them and urged them to concentrate fully on their training.

He said: “Yours is a patriotic call. Your names would stand out in history as people with remarkable patriotism, selflessness and love for peace.

“Only people with courage and bravery will offer to serve as guards of their communities, bravely standing up to face the brutal infamy of bandits.”

The governor also called on them to work within the parameters of the rules of engagement, which will be clearly spelt out during the training.

He described them as agents for restoration of normalcy, building of peace and re-enactment of the golden era of harmonious inter-communal relationship in the northern part of the country.

The governor added that at the end of the training, the members would be deployed to various communities in the emirate councils to complement security forces in the fight against banditry and sundry crimes.