The Zamfara Government’s Anti-Thuggery Committee has trained 2,500 newly recruited personnel and has warned residents to maintain law and order in the state.
Gov. Bello Matawalle established the committee in February 2022 through an Executive Order to combat political thuggery, drug abuse, and other related criminal offenses in the state.
Matawalle also named retired military officer Bello Bakyasuwa as the committee’s chairman.
The Anti-Thuggery Bill, recently passed by the state House of Assembly, elevated the committee to the status of an agency.
During the closing ceremony of the training in Gusau on Sunday, Bakyasuwa noted the committee had been doing well in the fight against arms-bearing, political thuggery, drug abuse, and armed robbery.
He appealed to members of the public, irrespective of political and religious affiliations, to continue to cooperate with the agency, saying that citizens shouldn’t allow unpatriotic elements to play with their future.
He called on the newly recruited personnel to be law-abiding, adding “you should be good ambassadors of the state”.
“I am using this medium to call on newly recruited personnel to be dedicated, and transparent and ensure fairness while protecting the lives and property of citizens.
“Your recruitment is part of Matawalle’s measures to tackle security challenges bedeviling the state.
“You should not allow selfish politicians to destroy your future”, he warned.
Bakyasuwa also called on politicians in the state to avoid engaging youths in thuggery to achieve their political and selfish interests.
“As we all know, the election is fast approaching, I want to appeal to the people, particularly the youth and those in the political circle to maintain law and order, especially during the election days,” he explained.
