Fulani Bandits
Bandits: Zamfara to churn out gun licenses for citizens
Sopuruchi Onwuka
The government of Zamfara State will start issuing gun licenses to residents to defend themselves and curb attacks by armed bandits that have spread across the country hunting people for commercial ransom.
Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Magaji Dosara, said on Sunday that the step has become necessary following the unrelenting wave of kidnap attacks in the state.
Dosara said Zamfara would also recruit additional community protection guards across the state to help to fight the bandits while the state will also set up a new paramilitary unit to be commanded by a retired police commissioner.
The state also banned the use of motorcyles and selling of petrol in three districts and one emirate, in areas which are the most affected by banditry, Dosara said. The state is divided into emirates and the emirates into districts.
“Anybody found riding motorbike within the areas is considered as bandits and security agencies are thereby directed to shoot such persons at sight,” said Dosara.
In the Northwestern part of the country, the Fulani bandits hold sway in the vast unoccupied farmlands and grazing fields to of Zamfara and Kaduna states where they carry and hold their victims hostage until ransom is paid.
Biggest victims in the southern parts of the country are travelers, farmers and students in Abia State where they recently kidnapped the Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr SKC Uche who was in Isuochi in Umunneochi for a church activity. Regular kidnapping of local people have become normal in the area.
The Oracle Today reports that nomadic Fulani herdsmen in the country have since 2014 been infiltrated by militant bandits and gun runners who have spread across the country pillaging villages, killing people, sacking villages and carrying away men, women and children for ransom.
The bandits have immunity under the present administration of the government as they are never arrested or challenged by the security forces. Consequently, the emboldened armed gangs are rife across the country with increasing violence against the people and disruption of farming, school and business activities due to fear of attacks.
Mr Dosara said on Sunday that the state governor had directed the state police commissioner to issue 500 gun licences in each of the 19 emirates in the state to those wishing to defend themselves.
He declared in a statement that “government is ready to facilitate people, especially our farmers to secure basic weapons for defending themselves.”
He said owning a gun in Zamfara needs permission from the state governor and state police commissioner.
The security forces are currently more interested in fighting the Boko Haram Islamist insurgents in the northeast of the country, leaving the equally deadly herdsmen and bandits to on defenseless citizens.
Last week, gunmen killed eight people and kidnapped 38 others in an attack on two churches in Kaduna, a Christian group said, weeks after another deadly attack in the south west.
