Despite criticisms from some quarters, the Zamfara State government will go ahead with its plan to providearms for men of the state’s vigilance groups because itis part of Governor Yari Abubakar’s administration move to improve security at the grass roots.

Key officials of the state government, who spoke with LEADERSHIP Weekend on the development, said that the arms had been bought and were in the custody of the state police command.

Governor Yari had, during his recent visit to Kizara village where 60 people were killed by gunmen, disclosed that his administration had procured firearms for distribution to the vigilance groups across the state for self-defence and to check incessant attacks by gunmen.

Already, some members of the National Assembly and the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have kicked against the move and appealed to the state government to tread softly.

Yari had said that the firearms had been purchased with collaboration of the security agencies and were inthe custody of the state police command for the federal government to issue a permit to that effect.

When asked whether the state government would ignore the opposition to the plan and go ahead with its implementation, the special adviser to the governor onmedia and information technology, Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Tsafe, yesterday said that “the issue is with the police and the state government will not say anything again until the process of acquiring the permit is accomplished”.

Tsafe said any further information on the issue should be sought from the state police command, which is in custody of the arms.

But a senior official of the state government who sought anonymity told LEADERSHIP Weekend that the purchase of the firearms had been done and they were awaiting “distribution to some trusted members of the vigilance groups across the state”.

The exercise will be handled by a highly placed security officer,” he said, adding that “the project was initiated with the collaboration and consent of security agents”.

The official stated that, apart from Zamfara State, “there are some states which legislatures are currentlydeliberating on the issue with a view to making a law backing similar projects”. The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) is currently working on how to come up with a common decision on the issue, he stated.

“I don’t want to make an issue out of this,” he said. “This has been the practice in some parts of this country, particularly when one looks at the situation in the Niger Delta. Who arms the militants in that area who are also civilians?”

The state commissioner of police, Mr Akila Usman Gwary, did not respond to enquiries on the position of the police on the matter. Phone calls and text messages sent to him were not replied.

The speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Sanusi Garba Rikiji, could not be reached for clarification on any resolution or law passed by the legislature backing the purchase and distribution of firearms to the vigilance groups, but a member of the legislature confirmed that the Assembly was yet to deliberate on the matter.
Similar attempts to get the police high command to comment on the Zamfara incident failed. The force spokesman, CSP Frank Mba, did not respond to repeated requests on the police’s stand on the issue atthe time of filing this report.

Although he promised to make an official statement on the statement credited to the Zamfara State governor, he did not do so by press time.

But senior police officers told LEADERSHIP Weekend under condition of anonymity that the proliferation of guns in the country had become a worrisome trend, especially against the backdrop of wanton killings of innocent Nigerians as well as security agents. They averred that the current wave of insurgency might not end unless the government blocked all avenues of illegal arms entering the country.

One of the officers disclosed that police measures aimed at mopping up arms and wresting them from the wrong hands had not arrested the situation. According to him, on the contrary, almost on a daily basis, guns continue to find their way into the hands of criminals.

The officer revealed that, at present, state governors are in the practice of procuring arms for private individuals who they claimed are helping to maintain law and order in their states. He affirmed that the caseof the Zamfara State governor was not the first of its kind, saying that “they governors) are doing it secretly”.
The officers were all in agreement that statistics had shown that the guns in private hands far outnumber those with the security agents.

otokx: This is how Rwanda genocide started with the creation and arming of private militias.

cupid4ig: As long as the jtf keep close eyes on those they give the weapons this shouldn't be a problem, but if it gets into the wrong hands that's where the problem starts

gbadexy: Well I don't know what the fuss is all about.
Is it until armed men kill them all? This is indirectly having a state police. Even america has federal, state police and even armed county sheriff similar to local government.
If the civilian jtf is reformed, armed and trained, I know insecurity would become a thing in the past as theyy know their terrain better.
All the people advocating against the creation of state police are doing so because of the fear of secession by a region with armed indigenous men but the benefits far outweighs the flimsy excuse that governors would use them against political enemies. Politicians don't need state police to go after their adversaries, there are thugs and assassins to help them go after them.

gbadexy: Well I don't know what the fuss is all about.
Is it until armed men kill them all? This is indirectly having a state police. Even america has federal, state police and even armed county sheriff similar to local government.
If the civilian jtf is reformed, armed and trained, I know insecurity would become a thing in the past as theyy know their terrain better.
All the people advocating against the creation of state police are doing so because of the fear of secession by a region with armed indigenous men but the benefits far outweighs the flimsy excuse that governors would use them against political enemies. Politicians don't need state police to go after their adversaries, there are thugs and assassins to help them go after them.

ilugunboy: What does this constitution say in respect of this? Are non-state actors allow to bear firearms?

Some people believe they are above the constitution in this country.....that is the same Zamfara state that the former governor introduced the Sharia in the state, knowing fully well that Nigeria constitutionally is a secular state.

They've seen that the President is getting weaker politically...that is why someone can mute this kind of blatant rascality.

What will now stop Lagos from arming the LASTMA and KAI?

fkaz: Indirectly creating his own state police, Very soon civilian JTF in maidugurie, omabtasa militia in nasarawa will be harm also. Already boko-haram and fulani heard men are fully armed the rate at which arm and violence is increase in nigeria is a sign of goodbye nigeria, i pray we don't go the way of rwanda

otokx: This is how Rwanda genocide started with the creation and arming of private militias.

fkaz: Indirectly creating his own state police, Very soon civilian JTF in maidugurie, omabtasa militia in nasarawa will be harm also. Already boko-haram and fulani heard men are fully armed the rate at which arm and violence is increase in nigeria is a sign of goodbye nigeria, i pray we don't go the way of rwanda

k'nash:
can u compare the level of education of american sherrif to dat of illitrate northern and God forsaken northern vigilante group. this is how boko haram started. northern governors seems to be dey problem of this nation. try watch " sometime in april" and " hotel ruwanda" to get the feel of what will happen wen u arm illitrate vigilante with weapons.

fkaz:

http://leadership.ng/news/060713/no-going-back-arms-vigilance-groups-zamfara