Africa-Press – Nigeria. A monarch in Zamfara State, Alhaji Attahiru Ahmad, on Sunday urged the state Governor, Bello Matawalle, to authorize the use of weapons by residents of the state to defend themselves against bandits and terrorists.
Ahmad, who is the Emir of Anka and Chairman of the Zamfara State Council of Chiefs, made the appeal when he paid a condolence visit to the Emir of Kaura-Namoda, Alhaji Sanusi Mohammad, who was attacked by bandits along the Zaria-Gusau Road on December 17.
Muhammad lost eight persons in his convoy to the attack.
The monarch said: “Since the bandits have refused to surrender, the government should allow everyone to carry weapons for self-defence.”
Ahmad said the peace accord and reconciliation process initiated by the governor would not end banditry in Zamfara because the bandits would never give up.
“One cannot make peace with people who are not ready to embrace peace and reconciliation as initiated by the Zamfara government.
“No single individual in this world is above the power of the government, unless the government does not want to act.
“I also want to urge the Zamfara State government to give security operatives the chance to deal with the bandits by providing the necessary support and weaponry to them.”
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