In efforts to end terrorism in Zamfara State, Governor Bello Mattawalle has launched a community police team called Community Protection Guards, CPG.
The governor while speaking during the flag-off of training of his newly recruited CPG, boasted on his readiness to eliminate bandits troubling the entire state.
He also maintained that nobody would prevent him from forming a formidable force to counter the bandits, adding that the guards will implement new security measures that could deal decisively with the bandits ravaging the state.
Governor Matawalle stated that the decision to establish CPG was informed by his administration’s desire to work out all possible options to deal with the increasing act of banditry consuming innocent lives and causing untold hardships in different parts of the state.
The governor informed the CPG members of the task ahead of them, urging them to concentrate fully on their training.
“As community protection guards, you should endeavour to be patriotic. Your names would stand out in history as people with remarkable patriotism, selflessness and love for peace.
“Only people with courage and bravery will offer to serve as guards for their communities, bravely standing up to face the brutal infamy of the bandits,” he said.
He also called on them to work within the parameters of the rules of engagement, which he said, would be clearly spelt out during the training, pointing out that as the newly recruited Community Protection Guards, they are agents for the restoration of normalcy, building peace and re-enactment of the golden era of harmonious inter-communal relationship in the northern part of the country.
Matawalle further explained that at the end of the training, the CPG members would be deployed to their various communities in the 19 Emirate Councils of the State to energetically complement the security forces in the fight against banditry and sundry crimes.
He admonished them to remain disciplined and obedient throughout the exercise and to keep in mind that they were trained for a life saving mission that would spare their neighbourhoods from horror and suffering and one that would restore the dignity of human life and peaceful co-existence in the State.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Zamfara State Police Command, Ayuba Elkana who lauded the governor’s efforts, said the Community Protection Guards was part of series of measures taken by Governor Bello Matawalle in order save the State from all forms of crimes.
He also assured the governor of the support of the state police command.