No fewer than 50 persons including members of Civilian Joint Task Force, CJTF, were killed in Zamfara said the Speaker of Zamfara State House Assembly, Sanusi Rikiji, said.
Rikiji, who revealed this during a condolence visit to Kaura Namoda emirate, attributed the incidence to CJTF confrontation with bandits in a community in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of the state.
The Speaker, who led the state government delegation on the visit, decried the worsening security situation in the state.
We were told that the members of Civilian JTF have mobilised people from Sakajiki community in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area and confronted the bandits in the forest which led to the killing of over 50 persons including members of CJTF,” he said.
Mr Rikiji, who is the Chairman of the State Government Relief and Damage Assessment Committee, described the act of the CJTF as unprofessional, saying confronting the bandits is not the duty of CJTF members.
Their duty is to support security personnel to carryout operations not to lead operations; only security agents have the right to organise operation to confront bandits,” he added.
He urged traditional rulers in the state to caution CJTF members in their respective domain to avoid taking laws into theirs hands.
This is the directive from governor Abdul’aziz Yari that CJTF members should not confront bandits again; let them cooperate with the security personnel.
The state government would provide assistance to the families of the deceased and other victims of the incident very soon,” he added.