Crime

Nigeria Police Arrest Zamfara Assembly Member and Other Notables for Banditry

Published by Tope Fakinlede on June 5th, 2024.

Nigeria Police Arrest Zamfara Assembly Member and Other Notables for Banditry

The Zamfara State Police Commissioner, Muhammad Dalijan, announced the arrest of several high-profile individuals, including a member of the State House of Assembly and a former local government chairman, on charges related to banditry. This announcement was made during a visit by Thomas Parker, the officer in charge of the Counterterrorism Unit under the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), at the command headquarters in Gusau, Zamfara State’s capital.

Commissioner Dalijan did not disclose the names of those arrested but emphasized the need for international support. He urged the UN to provide similar assistance in Zamfara as they did in Maiduguri, including training on investigative techniques and the establishment of forensic laboratories to expedite the investigation and prosecution of suspects.

Thomas Parker, responding to this appeal, stated that the UN team was in Zamfara following a request from Governor Dauda Lawal. Parker highlighted the UN’s commitment to assessing the security situation in Zamfara to understand the root causes and challenges of the ongoing threats, with the aim of providing effective support.

Zamfara State has been plagued by banditry for years, resulting in significant loss of life and property.