In a bid to end the activities of bandits in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of zone 10 Ali Aji Janga says the zone will prioritised intelligence gathering, collaboration with sister security agencies and also incorporate members of the vigilantes and local hunters in the fight against banditry.
The AIG revealed this during a conference with Police Commissioners from Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states at the zonal headquarters in Marina area of Sokoto state.
The Zone 10 Police zonal Headquarters comprises of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara police commands with headquarters in Sokoto state.
According to a statement signed by the Zonal Police Public Relations, Assistant Supritendent of Police Adamu Abbas, Mr. Janga says, there is the need to restrategize and change approach in the Zone as bandits and kidnappers are not relenting in their activities, disturbing the peace loving people of the region.
According to him, it has now become important to engage the local vigilantes and hunters who are from these areas a and also understand the terrain to support the Nigeria Police in the fight against Armed bandits.
According to him, such strategy works for him when he was the Commissioner of police in Kogi state, and he believes adopting same will go a long way in tackling the menace.
He also says Intelligence gathering, collaborative actions on Operation PUFF ADDER, Inter agency collaboration will also be prioritised and adopted as key operational approach to winning the war.
The AIG also advised on the need to organize stakeholders meetings in all the Local Governments headquarters, villages and hamlets to interact with the villagers with aimed of finding a lasting solution to the deteriorating security situation.
AIG Janga is also concern about the safety of arms and ammunition in the zone as well as training of personnel on weapon handling in the three commands of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara that make up the zone.
He says, this will prepare personnel and make them combat ready as well as help in reducing the rate of fatalities and incidence of detonation of objects suspected to be EOD explosives as personnel are equipped with the right knowledge and how to handle such situations.
AIG Janga was also assisted by the three Commissioners of Police from Sokoto, Kamaldeen Okunlola, Kebbi Adeleke Adeyinka and that of Zamfara Rabiu Hussain to decorate officers who represented Zone 10 in the just concluded first IGP Combat Shooting Championship which took place at Abuja in May 2021.