FG hits banditry below belt, declares Zamfara no-fly zone
By OUR REPORTER
President Muhammadu Buhari has declared Zamfara a no-fly zone, following the recent abduction of schoolgirls in the state.
This, The DEFENDER gathered, is a hit below the belt against bandits, insurgents and their unknown sponsors as it will now be difficult to airlift mined gold and diamond minerals in exchange for weapons with which ignorant locals fight ethnic war killing one another and kidnapping schoolchildren and other targets for ransoms.
The President has also approved a ban on mining activities in the state.
The steps are to curb the rising insecurity in the state.
Babagana Monguno, national security adviser (NSA), spoke to state house correspondents at the end of the national security council meeting on Tuesday.
President Buhari presided over the meeting attended by security chiefs at the presidential villa, Abuja.
The NSA said the federal government will not hesitate to use kinetic means to restore normalcy in the country.
He said defense and intelligence organisations have been mandated to ensure the country does not slide into anarchy.
According to Monguno, the president also directed service chiefs to reclaim all areas in control of bandits, insurgents and kidnappers.
“We are not going to be blackmailed. The government has the responsibility to assert its will,” he said.
“Citizens can reside wherever they want to reside. Anybody who is a criminal should be brought to book.
“The president has also warned against ethnic profiling. We have had enough of chaos.
“Any individual that thinks he can cause disunity, should have a rethink.”
About 279 schoolgirls were kidnapped after gunmen invaded Government Girls Secondary School Jangebe, Talatu-Mafara LGA of the state, last Friday.
The Jangebe abductions happened a few days after 27 schoolboys were kidnapped from Government Science College, Kagara, Niger state.
Captives from both incidents have regained freedom.
