A group of elderly statesmen from the state of Zamfara has sounded the alarm, alleging the indiscriminate release of detained bandits and their collaborators by the state authorities.
The group urged law enforcement to stop the act, citing it as one of the factors responsible for escalating insecurity in the state.
He affirmed this during their meeting in Gusau, the state capital, where he also raised the alarm about the bad situation of orphaned children who are victims of banditry.
A former senator, Saidu Dansadau, informed reporters after the meeting.
“The committee expresses its dismay and disappointment at the indiscriminate release of criminals by the authorities who arrest them or to whom criminals are handed over when they are arrested by the military, self-defense groups or any other security organization,” he said.
“We call on law enforcement agencies in the state to, for the love of God, have a paradigm shift from this indiscriminate release of criminals and result in the indictment of criminals in the court of law because the The meeting identified this indiscriminate and incessant release of criminals as one of the immediate causes of the escalation of crime in the state.
He said the group also recommended the revitalization of community-based associations to generate funds for the establishment of primary and secondary schools to offer free education to children who lost their parents as a result of banditry to prevent the reappearance of insecurity in the future.
Mr. Dansadau acknowledged that the security situation in the state had improved significantly after the shutdown of telecommunications services.
However, he said places like Birnin Magaji, Shinkafi and Zurmi local government areas remain vulnerable to banditry attacks.
Members of the group are made up of traditional rulers, religious leaders, seniors and some political officials who came together to mobilize Muslims and Christians to pray for the return of peace in the state.
But in reaction to the group’s position, Zamfara State Security Affairs Commissioner Mamman Tsafe told PREMIUM TIMES that the accusation that the arrested bandits and their collaborators were being released discouraged security agents who are on the scene. the vanguard in the fight against banditry.
Tsafe said he would verify the veracity of the allegations before commenting further.