A member of the House of Representatives representing Kaura Namoda/Birni Magaji federal Constituency of Zamfara state, Aminu Sani Jaji, has raised the alarm over the rising cases of insecurity and banditry in the state and called for synergy between and among security agencies and communities to address the issue.
Jaji, who heads the House committee on ecological fund, said at a news conference in Abuja that the level of insecurity in the state is at such a high level that the people of the state, particularly Kaura Namoda/Birni Magaji, just walk around aimlessly, not knowing where they are going.
He said there was no need for a state of emergency in Zamfara as being demanded by some persons, since there was no complete breakdown of law and order in the state.
He, however, opposed the clamour for the hiring of machinery by the government to help in the fight against banditry, adding that security agents in the country should rather be encouraged and equipped to carry out their assigned mandate.
Jaji painted a gloomy picture of happening in the area, which he said has gone unreported, adding that over 200 persons are currently in captivity of the bandits while they parade the area unchally.
He recalled that one of the promises of the present government during the campaign was to ensure the security of the lives of the people, warning that although the government is doing everything possible to keep the promise, there is a lot that still needs to be done.
The lawmaker said the situation in the state has become so alarming to the extent that kidnapping and invasion of communities have become almost a daily occurrence, with about 60 persons kidnapped from a village about 2 weeks ago, while the kidnappers demanded about N30 million for their release.
He said even after some of the victims were killed, the kidnappers kept insisting on the N30 million ransom, with their leader insisting on killing a young man who fell in his presence because of his ailment.
“The leader of the kidnappers went to the House of the young man who was epileptic and insisted that the family bring him out for him to shoot. When they were delaying in bringing him, they shot two in the compound, saying they would keep killing them until they brought him out. The father had to bring out the boy, and they shut him.
