The Nigerian government has declared Zamfara State, North-West of the country as a no-fly zone.
The government has also banned all mining activities in the State, all in a bid to check and curb the activities of bandits and criminals in the State.
National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Major General Babagana Monguno disclosed this to State House Correspondents on Tuesday, at the end of a meeting of the National Security Council, chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Redouble their efforts
According to the NSA, President Buhari is worried about the current security situation of the country and has therefore, charged the military and all other security agencies to redouble their efforts.
He said: “Of course the President still remains concerned about the level of security which seems to be cascading for the worst. Given the fact that we have a new organisation with new Service Chiefs, the President has charged all of us to redouble our efforts especially in view of the occurrences of the last couple of weeks.
“The predominant issues raising concern for the entire nation remain kidnapping, banditry and of course terrorism in the North-eastern part of the country. Apart from that we’ve also had issues with farmers and herders which has also resulted in some unpleasant ethnic situations.
“The President has approved, based on our recommendation, the imposition and enforcement of a ban on all mining activities in Zamfara State with immediate effect until further notice. He has also approved that Zamfara State be declared a no-fly zone with immediate effect.
“I need to stress also that there are individuals in this country who have assumed a status that is beyond what they should be and intelligence at my disposal and all the disposal of other intelligence heads have revealed that there are certain individuals and entities who are making capital out of insecurity especially kidnapping. This is a situation that has to be brought to an end and I am sending a warning to anybody who is hiding beneath some status, either official, traditional or religious, to cause disorder, will have himself to blame because the government is very serious about this, we cannot afford to continue to lose lives.”
Military Assets Deployment
Monguno said the President has also directed the Minister of Defence and the National Security Adviser to deploy massive military and intelligence assets to restore normalcy to the State and the entire North-West zone of the country.
The NSA also used the occasion to warn all mischief makers to desist, as they have been placed under security watch and would be decisively dealt with if they continue their nefarious acts that are detrimental to the unity and progress of the nation.
He said: “All non-State actors that have been causing problems for the innocent people not just in Zamfara State or the North-West zone but also the North-East, South-South and other parts of the country have been placed under surveillance by the intelligence agencies.
“We’ve heard a lot of reports coming in, collusion with people from all walks of life. While the federal government is not averse to the application of non-kinetic means to resolve this problem, I need to make it very clear that the federal government will not hesitate to apply to the fullest its kinetic means to restore normalcy to the country.
“No sovereign nation will tolerate a group of non-State actors to bring it down to its knees and render the State in a state of panic, apprehension, mistrust or disorder therefore, both the defence and intelligence organisations have been charged that while we look forward to having a peaceful non-kinetic measures resolution, we will not allow this country to drift into State failure.”
Reclaim all areas
The NSA further said that with effect from Tuesday March 2, the new Service Chiefs have been given directives by the President to reclaim all areas dominated by bandits, kidnapers and other criminals.
“In doing so, I have also asked all the intelligence agencies to collapse all their efforts unto one platform so that with the convergence of efforts, we will be able to give the required intelligence to the operational elements of government,” he said.
Monguno however said, based on constitutional provisions, every Nigerian has the right to live peacefully in any part of the country but if he/she ferments trouble, the law will take its course.
Lateefah Ibrahim
