Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has gone tough on bandits ravaging the state. The Governor, signing “A Bill for Zamfara State prohibiting and punishing Banditry, Cattle rustling, Cultism, Kidnapping and other incidental Offences 2022”, into Law, asserted that anyone caught in the identified violent crimes in the state will henceforth face death penalty on conviction for banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and cultism.
Governor Matawalle maintained that the new law prescribes that anyone found guilty of aiding or abetting the identified crimes is liable to life imprisonment, 20 years imprisonment or 10 years imprisonment without options of fine. He asserted that his administration is determined to go to any length within the ambit of the law to secure the state, restore peace, especially, in communities considered to as bandits’ hub.
According to Gov. Matawalle: “The new law provides that any person found guilty of banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, Cultism or being an informant to the bandits is liable to death penalty.
“Under the law, anyone found guilty of aiding and or abetting the crimes mentioned is liable to life imprisonment, twenty years imprisonment or ten years imprisonment without options of fine.
“The most fundamental focus of governance anywhere in the world is Security, stressing that in this regard his Administration is determined to go to any length within the precincts of the law in order to secure the state, restore peace in the communities and place the state on a sound and enduring development trajectory.”
The governor stated that the community protection Guards established by the state government is not different from the Civilian Joint Taskforce (JTF), formed in Borno State or the Amotekun in southwest states. He added that the structure is to complement the security agencies in the state.
Governor Matawalle had maintained: “The establishment of community protection Guards is not different from the establishment of the Civilian Joint Taskforce, JTF, done in Borno State and Amotekun in the southwest subregions.
“It is aimed at complementing the efforts of our security operatives to stem the tide of Banditry, Kidnapping, Cattle rustling and other Criminal activities.”
The Speaker ofZamfara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Nasiru Magarya, had noted that the law will serve as a legal instrument for prosecuting banditry related offenders in the state.
The Chairma of the House Committee on Banditry and related Offences, Abdullahi Shinkafi, had assured that the Committee under his watch will not leave any stone unturned, caution people abetting banditry and kidnapping in the state to desist henceforth, because the Committee will deal decisively with anyone found guilty and the law will take its course irrespective of the status of the suspect.