FG finally moves on Zamfara, reveals nexus between bandits, illicit miners as it suspends mining activities

*Gives foreigners 48hrs to vacate sites

*As Nigerians warn opposition to stop politicising security

“It is unfortunate that a group of politicians in opposition, and I am specifically meaning Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is so embittered in defeat that they will never desist from politicising security situation in their country. I assure them anyway, that they have the tougher side of Buhari to contend with as the second phase of his eight years tenure commences next month,” the source assured, adding that there will be no room for nonsense.

Barely 24 hours after assuring Nigerians of its ability to defeat banditry in Zamfara State, North West Nigeria soon, the Federal Government Sunday announced the suspension of all forms of mining activities in the state to allow for clearance operations by security agencies.

To further ensure effectiveness of this action, the government also ordered all foreigners engaged in mining activities to leave the area within 48 hours.

The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed Adamu, who disclosed this when he addressed State House correspondents in Abuja on Sunday, said the order was part of measures to check banditry in the state, NAN reports.

The IGP addressed the correspondents alongside the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari; Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Alhaji Yusuf Bichi and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Abubakri Ahmed Rufa’i.

Adamu stated that the suspension of the mining activities followed “intelligence report that has clearly established a strong and glaring nexus between the activities of armed bandits and illicit miners – with both mutually re-enforcing each other.’’

He, therefore, revealed that the federal government has directed as follows:

“Mining activities in Zamfara and other affected States are hereby suspended with immediate effect.

“Consequently, any mining operator who engages in mining activities in the affected locations henceforth will have his licence revoked.

“All foreigners operating in the mining fields should close and leave within 48hours,’’ he added.

The police boss assured the general public, especially those in the affected areas that the security services are doing their best to address the situation.

He maintained that as part of sustained efforts to flush out, and permanently put an end to banditry and criminality in Zamfara in particular and the North West in general, the Police in collaboration with the military and other security services had commenced “Operation PUFF- ADDER”, a full scale security offensive against the bandits.

“The operation is aimed at reclaiming every public space under the control of the bandits, arrest and bring to book all perpetrators of violence in the area and their collaborators, achieve a total destruction of all criminal camps and hideouts, mop up all illicit weapons fueling the violence and attain a full restoration of law and order in the affected communities.

“Our commitment at protecting the sanctity of life and property is irrevocable, and we will not scale-down the pressure on the armed bandits until they are totally flushed-out,’’ he said.

The FG took this action even as analysts fault those, they believe still refuse to accept reality of their defeat at recent elections, for blaming President Muhammadu Buhari for a state security matter that is constitutionally the responsibility of the state governor.

They recalled that while Governor Samuel Ortom, instead of facing the problem of killings in Benue State, blamed President Buhari, that Governors Simon Lalong of Plateau State, Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State and Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State rose to their constitutional responsibilities as their states’ respective chief security officers without crying wolf of Federal Government when their own security challenges arose.

Opposition politicians have therefore been advised to desist from politicising security situation in the country “if they truly mean well for Nigeria they desperately struggle to rule.”

A source in Lagos told us, “For the mere fact that President Buhari is once again being celebrated by world leaders in Jordan, just as he will further be listened to in Dubai, UAE beginning from this Sunday, the opposition politicians, still nursing their deadly defeat at recent presidential election, suddenly picked the Zamfara banditry issue and are blowing it beyond necessary.

“What they should know is that, Nigeria needs opposition but not hate, fake and unpatriotic criticisms because, by these there will be no opposition for APC or whichever face the progressives continue to present as ruling party in the country.

“It is unfortunate that a group of politicians in opposition, and I am specifically meaning Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is so embittered in defeat that they will never desist from politicising security situation in their country. I assure them anyway, that they have the tougher side of Buhari to contend with as the second phase of his eight years tenure commences next month,” he assured, adding that there will be no room for nonsense.