Insecurity: Zamfara Inaugurates Internal Security Outfit

Zamfara State is moving ahead with its internal security arrangement to tackle banditry in the region as it has inaugurated the Community Protection Guards (CPG), a security outfit similar to Western Nigeria Security Network, otherwise known as Amotekun, which began operation in January 2020.

Governor Bello Matawalle flagged off the training on Saturday in Gusau with the training of  500 guards, recruited from all 19 emirates in the state.

Matawalle said Zamfara State under his watch is now moving towards implementing new security measures, adding that the guards will bear arms.

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 banditry causing loss of lives, untold hardships and rupturing inter-communal 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.

Matawalle added that at the end of the training, the CPG members would 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.

The Commissioner of Police, Zamfara State Police Command, CP Ayuba Elkana said the training of the Community Protection Guards was part of a series of measures taken by Governor Bello Matawalle in order to rid the state of all forms of crimes.

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.

Commissioner of Security and Home Affairs, Retired DIG Mamman Ibrahim Tsafe said the establishment of the Community Protection Guards was meant to assist the security agencies in securing the state from all heinous crimes.

The occasion was attended by the Speaker, Zamfara State House of Assembly, Nasiru Muazu Magarya and Secretary to the State Government Kabiru Balarabe.

Chief of Staff Government House Gusau, Ibrahim Suleiman, State Head of Service, Kabiru Muhammad Gayari, members of the State Executive Council and Heads of security agencies serving in the state, also attended the training flag-off.