The Governor of Zamfara state, Bello Matawalle, has signed the anti-banditry and other related offences bill into law.
The law which comes into force with immediate effect, has death penalty for those found guilty of banditry and other related offences in Zamfara.
After signing the bill, Matawalle said the law formed part of measures to tackle banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling in Zamfara.
The law: Prohibition and Punishment for Banditry, Cattle Rustling, Cultism, Kidnapping and Other Incidental Offences, 2022 was passed by the state legislature on Monday.
Matawalle said the law was part of the government series of effort to address the nagging challenge of banditry and associated crimes in the state.
“Today, we have signed the bill on Prohibition and Punishment for Banditry, Cattle Rustling, Cultism, Kidnapping and Other Incidental Offences, 2022.
” You may recall that I inaugurated four security-related committees, as part of our counter-banditry initiatives.
“Formation of the committees is aimed at ensuring the effective implementation of the security measures being taken to end the over-decade-old banditry and other security-related challenges,” he said.
The governor said he had earlier signed Executive Orders 7, 8,9, and 10, that provided the legal instruments and operational guidelines for the committees.
He qouted that the most fundamental focus of governance anywhere in the world is security.
Matawalle further said that his government would do anything within the law, to secure the state and restore peace in the communities.
“Zamfara State, under my watch, will continue to explore all possible remedies to our plight.
” Those making insinuations about our decision to support the right of community members to self-defence against ruthless attacks by bandits ought to take into consideration the scale of the problem we are facing.
“They should take into account the plight of the innocent people who are maimed, killed, and kidnapped every day in various parts of the state,” he added.
