Coalition urges Buhari to order re-arrest of politicians linked to banditry in North

The Coalition of Northern Groups on Thursday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to order the re-arrest of some politicians allegedly linked to banditry in Zamfara State.

According to the coalition, the politicians were earlier arrested over their alleged complicity in the activities of bandits in the area but later released.

It added that except the politicians and their collaborators are re-arrested and investigated, the image of the All Progressives Congress (APC) would be dented.

The coalition in a petition jointly signed by its Spokesman, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, and the Zamfara State Coordinator, Bilyaminu Aliyu on Thursday expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in Zamfara State.

Quoting the Washington-based Council on Foreign Relations, the coalition said from March to April 6, at least 169 people were killed in Zamfara, 28 in Borno and 14 in Adamawa.

The petition read: “There has been a growing concern over the level of insurgency, bandit killings, kidnapping, rape, and displacement of entire communities in many states of northern Nigeria.

“Coalition of Northern Groups, disturbed by the bleeding in the North, hereby take the bold and necessary step to address this petition to Your Excellency to draw attention to the emerging trends particularly in Zamfara State that are pregnant with complications and unforeseen consequences.

“By this patriotic representation, the CNG aims to forestall the drift toward anarchy and more bloodshed in Nigeria, and also to alert the Presidency as to where responsibility would ultimately lie if such momentous and terrible events ever came to pass.

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“Zamfara State has for long faced problems with armed groups stealing cattle, kidnapping for ransom and attacking communities, which has in turn prompted some local people to form vigilante gangs.

“More recently, there has been a growth in informal mining activity in this mineral-rich region, which has attracted people from outside the state, further fuelling instability.

“That Mr. President has the obligation to restore the morale of nation’s security and law and order assets by ensuring the immediate end to undue partisan influence on the functions of the police, the Directorate of Security Services and other law and order assets charged with the preservation of the lives and properties of all Nigerians.

“We pray Your Excellency and his government to see this call for the security services to be allowed to carry out their duties unhindered, as a warning from history which repeats itself, according to Karl Marx, once as a farce and twice as a tragedy.

“We urge Mr. President and government security forces to renew the resolve to confront the security challenges in Zamfara and other parts of the North with resolve and awareness of their obligations under the law, as well as the knowledge that victory will only be pronounced when the nation achieves full cessation of hostilities, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration in the entire region.”

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