Banditry: Govt Officials Involved – Police

The Nigerian Police Force, NPF, has accused top officials of government in Zamfara state of involvement in banditry.

The state commissioner of Police, Muhammad Dalijan Shehu made the remark in Gusau, the state’s capital on Wednesday.

The Nigerian north east state is one of the epicenters of banditry and terrorism in the country.

The criminals, who many say, are currently on rampage in the state despite the efforts of the security agencies to stamp them out, have killed many people, and displaced countless others.

According to the commissioner, the state police command, in its fight against banditry has arrested some government officials who aid the criminal activities in the state.

Those arrested include a lawmaker, former local government chairman and a district head.

He said the involvement of state officials has made the problem more complex, describing banditry as an “industry” now thriving in the state.

“We can say now banditry is an industry in Zamfara state,” Shehu declared.

“Last month, we arrested a member of the state House of Assembly in banditry here in Zamfara state, we arrested a district head, we also as well arrested a former local government chairman, so you can see that, the involvement of this class of people in banditry is making the situation to become more and more complex.

“So, in essence, i can say that all calibre of people are involved, all manner of people are involved in this banditry. More alarming and more disturbing, is the involvement of a district head in supplying drugs to the bandits.”

In 2012, former President Goodluck Jonathan claimed that members of the extremist Boko Haram sect have succeeded in infiltrating his government, planting its members in government agencies and security outfits.

The former president’s remark, critics insist, hallmarked the fight against terrorism in the country at the time.