Police cautions Zamfara govt over call on residents to get guns

The ban on firearms licenses is still in effect, according to Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, Ayuba Elkana, who also noted that the police have halted providing licenses to residents who want to own firearms.

Elkana issued this clarification on Sunday, in response to the state government’s order that the police command provide gun licenses to people entitled to bear arms.

Earlier, Ibrahim Dosara, the commissioner for information for the state of Zamfara, revealed in a statement on Sunday that the administration had ordered residents to get ready and prepare their weapons in order to protect themselves against bandits who have been terrorizing the state.

According to Dosara, the government had directed the state Commissioner of Police to issue licence to all those who qualify and are willing to obtain guns to defend themselves.

The commissioner had said, “Government has, henceforth, directed individuals to prepare and obtain guns to defend themselves against the bandits, as the government has directed the state commissioner of police to issue a license to all those who qualify and are wishing to obtain such guns to defend themselves.”

However, Elkana revealed that there has been no mandate towards that effect.

Read also: Police rescues 39 kidnapped victims in Zamfara

“I have not received any directives and also, there is a ban on firearms licence and we don’t give licence.

“I am yet to receive any directive. Let me see the directive first before I can comment. I have not seen the directive, so I cannot comment on compliance.

“There is nothing like vote of no confidence, please. This is farming season and you cannot get police or any security to be following everybody to the farm. They are attacking people on the farm; that is the problem. It is not as if we are not doing our best; we are doing our best. Of recent, we rescued many people (from bandits),” the Police chief noted.

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