THE ZAMFARA CONCERNED FORUM CONDEMNS VERBAL CONFRONTATION BETWEEN STATE AND

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REGARDING ALLEGED PEACE TALKS WITH BANDITS.

Assalamu Alaikum!!!

On behalf of the Members of the Zamfara Concerned Forum, we are writing to urgently call for effective
collaboration between the Zamfara State Government and the Federal Government of Nigeria to
address the lengthy bloodshed, kidnapping, and cattle rustling in the state.

We are deeply concerned and disappointed over the recent exchange of words between the two
governments over the issue of banditry in the state. This public display of disagreement and discord is
unhelpful and counterproductive to addressing the long-waited banditry activities in the state. We urge
both parties to prioritize the security and well-being of the people of the state above political interests.

We commend the efforts of all Security Agencies, especially the tireless efforts of the Nigerian Army
Commander, Brigadier General S Ahmed towards providing every necessary support needed in fighting
against insecurity in the state. We also recognize and commend the efforts of the CJTFs, Vigilante group,
and every readiness organization intended to support their ideas in fighting against insecurity. His
dedication never goes unnoticed.

Additionally, we call on the state government and federal government to desist from engaging in a
public exchange of words over the issue of banditry in the state. This public display of disagreement and
discord is unhelpful and counterproductive to addressing the long-waited banditry activities in the state.
We urge both parties to prioritize the security and well-being of the people of the state above political
interests. This is in line with Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution of Nigeria, which states that "the
security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government."

We advise the state government to review the recruitment of Community Police who have not been
paid salaries for several years, which has led to many engaging in corrupt practices and criminal
offenses. We urge the state government to re-screen and verify the good ones among them for possible
inclusion in the recruitment process of CJTFs. The bad ones should undergo rehabilitation and
reorientation before joining their colleagues in the CJTFs. This is in line with Section 14(3) of the
Constitution of Nigeria, which provides that "the composition of the government of a state, a local
government council, or any of the agencies of such government or council, and the conduct of the affairs
of the government or council or such agencies shall be carried out in such a manner as to recognize the
diversity of the people within its area of authority and the need to promote a sense of belonging and
loyalty among all the people of the Federation."

We also urge the state government to construct a reliable and trusted security squad to monitor the
activities of all uniform personnel and gather a special security strategic team to develop a workable,
realistic, and sustainable framework that will bring lasting solutions to the state's security dilemmas. The
team should work with stakeholders to make it all-inclusive, community-driven, and participatory. This is
in line with Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution of Nigeria, which states that "the security and welfare of
the people shall be the primary purpose of government."

Furthermore, we recommend that interagency synergies be revisited and restored to improve

intelligence gathering and usage, as well as allow for the sharing of information between agencies. Any
leakages from one agency should be attached to consequences to prevent future occurrences.

We call on the President to consider and give directives to the Inspector General of Police to redeploy all
police officers in Zamfara to another state and deploy those from another state to Zamfara. We also
urge the President to enact a law that every State Securities Head posted to a state where there is an
issue of insecurity should note that if they allow Five attacks by bandits or kidnappers, they will consider
themselves dismissed and face court trial. This is in line with Section 215(1)(a) of the Constitution of
Nigeria, which provides that "the Nigeria Police Force shall be under the command of the Inspector-
General of Police," and Section 217(1) of the Constitution of Nigeria, which empowers the President to
"raise and maintain the armed forces for the defense of Nigeria," and Section 217(2)(c) of the
Constitution of Nigeria, which allows the President to deploy the armed forces "for the suppression of
insurrection and acting in aid of civil authorities to restore order."

All stakeholders, including Miyyeti Allah, farmers, and traditional heads, should be engaged to
determine their level of involvement in the insecurity situation. This will enable necessary actions to be
taken by authorities.

We call on the President to hold an emergency meeting with the state governor, minister of state
defense, all senators, and members of the House of Representatives from Zamfara to rectify whatever
crises they have and collaborate to resolve the issue of insecurity in the state. We cannot allow their
political issues to undermine the constitutional rights of the people of Zamfara to peaceful living and the
protection of their properties. This is in line with Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution of Nigeria, which
states that "the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government."

We believe that effective collaboration between the state and federal governments is critical to
resolving the issue of banditry and promoting sustainable development in the region. We urge both
parties to work together to find a way to resolve the issue and establish an effective collaboration to end
banditry for our collective good and survival. This is in line with Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution of
Nigeria, which states that "the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of
government."

The forum is of the firmed view that no more dialogue with any criminal of any nature, including
bandits, should occur.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to your urgent and sustained action to
address the root causes of banditry and promote sustainable development in the region.

Sincerely,

All Members of Zamfara Concern Forum.

Signed by the Chairman.

(Comrade: Mujtaba Rufai Gusau)