Insecurity: Zamfara gov meets Niger president, promises five patrol vehicles

Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State says the state government will donate five brand new Toyota Hilux vehicles to the Government of Niger Republic to provide special border patrol at Maradi and other areas sharing border with Zamfara, Katsina and Sokoto states.

He also said the recently installed closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the state capital were yielding positive results as part of measures to expose those involved in criminal activities.

The governor stated these during a meeting with the President of Niger Republic, Mohamed Bazoum, over the spate of banditry in the North and Niger.

The two leaders met at the Presidential Palace in Niamey, the Republic of Niger, according to a statement from Jamilu Iliyasu Birnin Magaji, the Press Secretary to the Governor of Zamfara State.

The meeting was on the issue of insecurity especially in North West Nigeria and Niger Republic and explore more areas of support and cooperation between Niger Republic and Zamfara State in particular.

The governor said the five vehicles would be handed over to the governor of Maradi in a ceremony to hold later with the approval of the President Bazoum.

He thanked President Bazoum for the opportunity given to him and Zamfara State Government to discuss issues of security, especially kidnapping, cattle rustling and banditry in the Maradi region and parts of Zamfara, Katsina and Sokoto states.

He said, “Apart from peace initiatives and reconciliation process he initiated, this administration has provided intelligence to security agents on how best to trace informants who provide information to the armed bandits and their collaborators.

“My administration has placed CCTV cameras that will monitor all the activities and movements of people in the state capital, aimed at tracking and tracing criminal hideout and their nefarious activities.”

He called for a regular meeting on security with the Nigerien Minister of Defence, the governor of Maradi and governor of Zamfara State as well as those of Katsina and Sokoto states to end to the security challenges facing the two countries.

President Bazoum thanked Governor Matawalle for the visit and all efforts taken to end the problems of insecurity.

He said the Government of Niger Republic was ever ready to support the Government of Zamfara State in the fight against insecurity.

He also requested governors of Nigeria to implement total ban on importation of motorcycles into Nigeria.

The president noted that the problem of banditry across Niger Republic is coming from Madawa and Bayan Dutsi and escalated to Nigeria through the Region of Maradi, but hoped that with the meeting and support provided to the Nigerien Government by Governor Matawalle, the issue would be fully addressed.

The meeting was attended by the Ministers of Defence and Internal Affairs of Niger Republic, the Chief of Staff to President Mohamed Bazoum, and all the service chiefs of the Republic of Niger and the country’s Inspector General of Police.

Governor Matawalle was accompanied by Senator Sahabi Yau Kaura, representing Zamfara North Senatorial District, Hon member Representing Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Suleiman Abubakar Mahmoud Gummi, Principal Private Secretary to the Governor, Lawal Umar Maradun and some principal officers to the Governor.