*Says state under his watch implementing new security measures
By IBRAHIM KANOMA, Gusau
Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State, on Saturday, performed the flag-off ceremony for the training of the newly recruited Community Protection Guards (CPG), saying Zamfara State under his watch is now moving towards implementing new security measures.
The Governor said his administration has come up with additional measures for combating insurgency in the state, among which is the recruitment of Community Protection Guards CPG in each of the 19 Emirate Councils of the state.
He said the decision to establish community protection Guards was informed by his administration’s desire to work out all possible options to deal with the increasing act of bandity causing loss of lives, untold hardships and rupturing intercommunal peace in some parts of the state.
To the Community Protection Guards, Governor Bello Matawalle informed them of the task ahead of them, and urged them to concentrate fully on their training.
According to the Governor “As community protection guards, yours is a patriotic call, your names would stand out in history as people with remarkable patriotism, selflessness and love for peace, only people with courage and bravery will offer to serve as guards of their communities, bravely standing up to face the brutal infamy of the bandits,” Governor Matawalle explained.
The Governor also called on them to work within the parameters of the rules of engagement which will be clearly spelt out during the training, pointing out that as the newly recruited Community Protection Guards, they are agents for the restoration of normalcy, building peace and re-enactment of the golden era of harmonious intercommunal relationship in the northern part of the country.
Governor Bello Matawalle added that at the end of the training, the CPG members will be deployed to their various communities in the 19 Emirate Councils of the state to energetically complement the security forces in the fight against banditry and sundry crimes.
He reminded them to remain disciplined and obedient throughout the exercise and to keep in mind that they were trained for a life saving mission that will spare their neighborhoods from horror and suffering and one that will restore the dignity of human life and peaceful co-existance in the state.
In a keynote remarks, the Commissioner of Police, Zamfara State Police Command, CP Ayuba Elkana said the training of the Community Protection Guards was part of series of measures taken by Governor Bello Matawalle in order prevent the state from all forms of crimes.
CP Ayuba Elkana while expressing the command’s full support to Governor Matawalle in the fight against banditry, urged the recruits to always be law abiding, God- fearing and objective in the discharge of their duties in order to achieve the desired goals.
Earlier, the Commissioner of Security and Home Affairs, Rtd DIG Mamman Ibrahim Tsafe said the establishment of the Community Protection Guards was aimed to assist the security agencies in securing the state from all henious crimes in all parts of the state
The occasion was attended by the Speaker, Zamfara State House of Assembly, Rt Honourable Nasiru Muazu Magarya, Secretary to the State Government Alhaji Kabiru Balarabe, Chief of Staff Government House Gusau, Malam Ibrahim Suleiman, State Head of Service, Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad Gayari, members of the state Executive Council and Heads of security agencies serving in the state.
