Group calls for uniform strategy to tackle security threats in North West

A group, Concerned North-West Stakeholders, has called for uniform strategy to tackle security challenges in the North West zone of the county.

The group made the appeal through its convener, Malam Suleman Yusuf, at a press conference on Thursday in Kaduna.

It said the uniform approach would ensure that criminals could be traced and taken out in any part of the zone, and were not allowed to escape justice through peace deal in another state.

The stakeholders also called for the strengthening of investigation, profiling of criminals, information sharing, prosecution and the restoration of basic governance to address banditry in the zone.

It expressed concern over Zamfara Government’s peace deal with bandits and the blanket amnesty offered to criminals, in spite of the robbery, abduction, rape and plunder they committed.

The group said justice should be served for the victims, so as not to give the impression that some areas are safe haven for criminals.

They called on Zamfara Government to work closely with law enforcement and intelligence agencies to ensure that all those bearing illegal arms were eliminated.

According to the stakeholders, the list of beneficiaries of the Zamfara peace deal should be made public, including legal and administrative processes, as well as financial commitments.

It explained that this would lead to transparency and accountability from which lessons can be drawn.

The group urged all Nigerians to support the police, military and other security agencies sacrificing their lives to ensure that the citizens remain secured.

It expressed concern over ongoing attacks by gunmen in the South East and called on people in the region to condemn the attacks and work with security agencies to curtail them.

The group noted that as Nigeria moves gradually towards election in 2023, politicians must desist from politicising security issues.

It said failure to do that would “only serve as a distraction to the challenging work that security officers are expected to accomplish.”