New Telegraph

No hiding place for bandits in Zamfara again –CP Elkana

The Commissioner of Police, Zamfara State, CP Ayuba N. Elkana, has warned all recalcitrant armed bandits, who are currently on the run following security measures put in place by the state and Federal Government under Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle’s leadership, to surrender and hand over their weapons for the law to decide their fate, IBRAHIM SIDI MUH’D reports.

As Commissioner of Police in Zamfara State leading other security agencies in the fights against banditry and other heinous crimes, how would you assess the situation so far?

The situation is quite encouraging as you can be a living witness in one way or the other, that there is no peace across all the bandits’ camps in the bushes, because their chances to continue operating have been squeezed by incessant assaults by the Joint Security Operatives to the extent that they had no option than to take to their heels, thereby abandoning kidnapped victims to escape formidable and hot pursuits by our fiercely trained personnel.

One most important recorded development people in the state should know is that, abductions, kidnappings, incessant merciless attacks and killings have drastically reduced to the barest minimum. The shutdown of telecoms services a couple of months ago had immensely discouraged bandits from further abductions of innocent people.

There was no longer means of communication with relatives of kidnapped victims for ransom payments; this is in addition to their suffering for lack of foods at their camps following closure of weekly markets in the state where they normally disguise as innocent people to purchase foodstuffs. As you asked for the assessment of the situation so far, you see, our primary duty as Police is to ensure the enforcement of law and order and to adequately maintain peace and tranquility in the society.

It is the responsibility of the Police to make sure that the society is always x-rayed so that no dastardly actions could penetrate into the legitimate living as enshrined in the constitution. When I say dastardly acts, just count it as an example of diseases that use to penetrate the defense of body mechanism which is similar to that of crimes in that regard, because criminal activities are considered as diseases in the society, therefore, we fight such crimes for peace and tranquility to reign.

How would you respond to claims that bandits are still operating in the state?

Banditry is no longer in force as it was like in the gaining of grounds before in Zamfara State, what exactly is happening now is that like a firewood breathing its final smoke after being quenched, it can squeeze tears out of eyes close to it for its painful approach, but would not last as it was when in the fire during cooking.

What I mean is that, whatever bandits are doing now is not an attack as usual, but just some struggles to gain chances to an escape routes through use of what remains in their hands in terms of weapons to clear the environment. And this is normal, when a group of criminals are pushed to no escape ground by the aggrieved operatives, their attention would be asking for which route to take for escape, in the course of which they wildly chase any community they might come across.

It is for that reason, the joint security operatives in the state have now cordoned-off all possible exit hoping to continue assaults on them. One other important issue was about unreserved contribution being given by the number of repentant bandits to the state government and the security agencies in fighting the recalcitrant ones, on the other hand, peace-loving groups of vigilance are also assisting in achieving the target.

We are fast overcoming banditry and other heinous crimes, like I told you, the repentant ones already knew every inch of the bushes, therefore, no bandit’s camp could carelessly get omitted in the security agencies onslaught planned maps. We have made a multitude of arrest of recalcitrant ones either during raids and onslaughts on the bandits’ camps or through receipt of credible information on movements of the groups of bandits or individuals; this has been achieved all within the region of perfect collaboration with repentant bandits. It has now come to the extent that there is no bandits’ camp existing anywhere in the state, they are running away from the state as they found it difficult to continue staying in a place where they thought was a haven for them.

For example, the relocation of a popular bandits’ leader, ‘Bello Turji’ from his Shinkafi axis camp to another location outside the state is a glaring evidence of the ongoing onslaughts against them. We therefore, resolved to redouble our unalloyed commitment and sacrifice so that year 2022 becomes a prosperous year, where peace and security of the citizenry is guaranteed for social, economic and political growth. Our ability to discharge our duty successfully and maintain the current tempo of peace in the state was due to the support and guides we received on daily basis from our amiable and indefatigable Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, this has gone a long way in strengthening our operational capacity and professional efficiency. Similarly, the foresight and the doggedness of the state government, through the unique leadership of the Executive Governor of Zamfara State, Dr. Bello Muhammad Matawalle, coupled with the will to succeed was indeed unparalleled in the anal of the state history since its creation. He has all along drew near all the security agencies in the state by providing the resources necessary to get to the root cause of act of banditry in the state.

Is there any specific time Zamfara will become a bandit-free state?

You know that no condition is permanent, whether good or bad. Even though, no one can exactly say today or tomorrow will be the end of banditry in Zamfara, but definitely, the menace will soon come to an end. Similarly, considering the commitment of the state government and security operatives, especially our gallant operatives that are currently frequenting the bushes, and recording successes through firearms recovery, recovery of rustled cows as well as the unconditional rescue of a large number of kidnapped victims, it is clear that end is in sight.

The continuous rescue of kidnapped victims that run into hundreds by our security operatives is also enough for one to understand how far it has gone regarding incessant pressure the bandits have been facing from the ongoing operations, and it means a lot for just one firearm to be recovered from a dreaded criminal, that is telling you thousands of innocent lives would be safe. For that matter, large number of dangerous weapons are being recovered while another threatening number are voluntarily surrendered by the repented bandits.

You see, the power of those remaining recalcitrant would decrease to the extent of threatening size of their operations is reduced. The successes being achieved so far has shown that the command in collaboration with other sister security agencies is fast coming on top of the fights, and this is also indicating that normal businesses will return in no long a time in the state.

In any fight, there is nothing easy, studies were necessary on the bandits’ locations, the kind of weapons and their sources, how many of them can competitively operate them, who are the suppliers and which route do they normally follow. All these needed to be closely examined before coming up with professionally planned maps that will guide to conquer them either gradually or at once.

Now that the bandits are on the run, does that mean all doors for repentance are closed?

No, doors are still opened for bandits to repent, they can still come forward with their hands up, the state government and security agencies will accept their repentance and collect their surrendered weapons, all that is needed was for them to change from bad to good, the general society will embrace them to continue with their normal life. But for those that have chosen to remain terrorists, our gallant operatives will continue denying them peace, my warning for them is to surrender themselves and their weapons, they don’t have a hiding place again, Zamfara is no longer a haven for their heinous crimes.

You see, terrorists could not hide both in the bushes and in the legitimate society, because the onslaughts against them under the ties between my command and other security agencies will be kept intensified, our operatives had embarked on operation comb the forest, that was the main reason bandits were abandoning their camps, on the other hand, the wonderful members of the communities across the state will continue giving the needed cooperation by exposing the fleeing bandits who are seeking a hiding place in their villages.

In the course of search and arrest of bandits, I am calling for communities close to the forest and the unions of commercial drivers to be very vigilant, because there is possibility for the fleeing bandits to disguise in women dresses while on their way to escape. So, the commercial drivers should immediately report any woman suspected to be a man in disguise among the passengers to the nearest security establishment or at any security check points.

What about the level of synergy with other sister security agencies?

There has been good working relation with other sister security agencies, there is perfect understanding and mutual interactions that led to the successes I have mentioned earlier. We are therefore determined to sustain the existing synergy to enhance the existing relationship among all the security agencies in the state.

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