The governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, has closed down 11 cattle markets as part of the attempt to crack down on banditry and other form of insecurity in the state.
The state’s Commissioner for Information, Munnir Haidara, stated on Wednesday that the closure of markets was a response to security reports. These reports revealed that bandits were utilizing the markets as a platform to sell their stolen cows.
According to Haidara, the affected markets include the Tsafe and Bilbis markets in the Tsafe local government, the Jangebe market in the Talata-Mafara local government, and the Wuya market in the Anka local government.
Others are Magamin Diddi market in Maradun Local government, Galadi market in Shinkafi local government, Mada market in Gusau local government and Sabon Birnin Danali in Birnin Magaji local government.
What the government is Saying
Speaking on the development, the state government noted that it became necessary to shut down the markets as intelligent reports recorded unscrupulous activities happening within the markets.
Furthermore, the information commissioner said the government has ordered the arrest of anyone found on the premises of the market.
The markets are shut till further notice, he added.
- “The state government finds it necessary to close down these markets due to security reports that the bandits are conniving with some unscrupulous elements to sell off their rustled cows in those markets.
- “The security personnel have since been directed to arrest any person found in these affected markets,” he noted.
Subsequently, Haidara called on the people of the state to abide by the order and cooperate with the state government in its efforts to rid the state of banditry activities.
What you should know
- Bandit militias, entrenched in remote forest bases, have inflicted prolonged terror on Northwest and Central Nigeria. These groups systematically raid villages in these regions, perpetrating looting sprees and kidnapping residents for ransom.
- The enduring menace in Northwest and Central Nigeria stems from bandit militias that operate covertly from deep forest strongholds. These armed groups consistently engage in village raids, pillaging and abducting residents with the primary aim of extracting ransom payments.
- In addition, since 2009, a jihadist conflict has ravaged northeastern Nigeria, resulting in the death of tens of thousands and displacing around two million. Boko Haram is in a struggle for supremacy against rivals associated with the Islamic State group.
