Zamfara lawmaker, LG chairman arrested in connection with banditry

Story from Usman UMAR

The Zamfara State Police Command has apprehended individuals of high standing including a member of the State House of Assembly, and a former local government chairman in connection with banditry in the state.

Commissioner of Police in Zamfara State, Muhammad Dalijan, disclosed this while welcoming the officer in charge

of the Counterterrorism Unit, under the United Nations Office On Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Thomas Parker, at the command headquarters in Gusau, the state capital.

However, the identities of the prominent individuals detained in connection with the crime was not revealed yet.

CP Dalijan also appealed to the United Nations to assist in establishing a forensic laboratory to tackle the challenge of having to travel to Lagos to conduct forensic analysis.

Dalijan, during Parker’s visit, urged the UN to replicate in Zamfara what they achieved in Maiduguri, and requested the global body’s support for training on investigation, and setting up forensic laboratories, to expedite the investigation and prosecution of suspected criminals.

He acknowledged that crime rates have decreased in Zamfara, thanks to the collective efforts of security agencies working with Community Protection Guards (CPGs), to rid the state of suspected terrorists who relocated from Maiduguri to Zamfara State.

In response, Parker mentioned that they were in Zamfara State based on Governor Dauda Lawal’s plea to the UN for assistance in addressing the insecurity in the region.

Read also: Bandits receive N500,000, refuse to release abducted Zamfara village head, Chief Imam

Parker, during his visit to the police command to gather more information about the imminent threats in the state, informed the police of UN’s readiness to conduct an assessment of the security situation, initially to comprehend the root causes and challenges, and how to help address the threats.

Thus, the UNDOC team has commenced a three-day stakeholders’ engagement in the state, to grasp the extent, the prevalent challenges, and key factors driving the insecurity affecting the state, and the best approach to address the problem.

Follow the Neptune Prime channel on WhatsApp:

Do you have breaking news, interview request, opinion, suggestion, or want your event covered? Email us at neptuneprime2233@gmail.com