ZAMFARA STATE IN TALKS WITH PRESIDENT BUHARI OVER GUN LICENSES

The Zamfara State Government in North-West Nigeria says it is in talks with President Muhammadu Buhari to allow residents to acquire weapons, to defend themselves and their communities against terrorists.

Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Dosara, and his Internal Security and Home Affairs counterpart, DIG Mamman Tsafe (Rtd) made this known while briefing journalists in Gusau, the state capital, about the security measures being taken, to curtail the activities of terrorists in the state.

The recent upsurge of terrorist activities in Zamfara State has compelled the authorities to take hard decisions and security measures to address the menace and enable residents and farmers to go about their lawful activities without fear.

Dosara lamented that Zamfara State is in a security crisis, and in fact, has become a colony of banditry in Nigeria.

He explained that though the Federal Government had since placed an embargo on issuing licenses to individuals to possess arms, the security situation in the state is deteriorating and becoming uncontrollable, hence the need to dialogue with President Muhammadu Buhari, to grant it the power to allow residents obtain licenses to own guns to defend themselves.

On whether the security agencies have failed in the fight against the terrorists, Tsafe said they have not and commended them for putting their best.

The Zamfara State Government believes the security measures being put in place will create a conducive atmosphere for farmers to return to their farmlands, and engage in farming activities, with bumper food production.