Alhaji Sanusi Rikiji, Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, has said no fewer than 50 persons, including members of Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), were killed in Zamfara on Tuesday.
Disclosing this on Friday during a condolence visit to Kaura Namoda emirate, he said the killings was the result of a CJTF confrontation with bandits in a community in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of the state.
He, however, blamed the CJTF for confronting the bandits "unprofessionally".
"We were told that the members of Civilian JTF have mobilised people from Sakajiki community in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area (LGA) and confronted the bandits in the forest which led to the killing of over 50 persons including members of CJTF,” he said.
According to NAN, Rikiji, who is the Chairman of the State Government Relief and Damage Assessment Committee, said the act of the CJTF was unprofessional, saying ”confronting the bandits is not the duty of CJTF members".
“Their duty is to support security personnel to carry out operations, not to lead operations; only security agents have the right to organise operation to confront bandits,” he added.
He urged traditional rulers in the state to caution CJTF members in their respective domains to avoid taking laws into their hands.
“This is the directive from Governor Abdul’aziz Yari that CJTF members should not confront bandits again; let them cooperate with the security personnel.
“We have already received the list of the number of the deceased and other affected victims from the Local Government Chairman aimed at assisting them.
“The state government would provide assistance to the families of the deceased and other victims of the incident very soon."
In his remarks, Alhaji Muhammad Asha, the Emir of Kaura Namoda, thanked the state government for the gesture and assured of his continued support and cooperation with government to address the problem.
He said the emirate had embarked on special prayers to seek Allah’s intervention over the security challenges in the state.
“We have already mobilised our Imams of Jumu’at Mosque and Ulamas to offer special prayers in this regard during Jumu’at prayers,” the emir said.
Alhaji Lawal Abdullahi, Chairman of the council, thanked the state government for the assistance to the victims. He also assured the residents of the council’s continued support to the state and federal government in fighting insecurity in the area and the state.
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