Zamfara State Declared ‘Military Zone’

The Federal Government has declared Zamfara as a ‘military zone’ in the wake of the recent kidnapping of hundreds of schoolgirls in the state.

THE WHISTLER reports that the northwestern state with an area spanning 59,762 km2 had become a hotbed of banditry perpetrated by armed criminal groups.

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Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (retd.), told State House correspondents on Tuesday that President Muhammadu Buhari declared the state as a “no fly zone” as part of efforts to tackle the security challenges facing the state.

Last week’s abduction of about 279 schoolgirls from a government secondary school in the Jangebe area of the state had come less than a month after over 500 bandits in the state were reported to have “repented” from their activities.

Meanwhile, Monguno, who spoke to journalists after a five-hour national security council meeting presided over by President Buhari, said the all non-state actors had been placed under surveillance following the president’s declaration.

The NSA said the federal government would not hesitate to use force if criminal elements should continue to terrorize the state.

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Monguno said the country’s defence and intelligence organizations have been put on alert and charged not to allow the country to slide into a state of anarchy.

He added that President Buhari gave a marching order to the country’s new service chiefs to reclaim all areas under the control of bandits, insurgents, and kidnappers.

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