President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday declared Zamfara State a no-fly-zone, in response to recent security challenges erupting from the state.
Major General Babagana Monguno (Rtd, the National Security Adviser (NSA), announced this to State House Correspondents at the end of the National Security Council meeting, in Abuja.
President Buhari also approved a ban on all mining activities in the state to curb the rising rate of insecurity, Monguno added
“The President has approved, based on our recommendations, the imposition and enforcement of a ban on all mining activities in Zamfara with immediate effect until further notice.
“He has directed the Minister of Defence and the National Security Adviser to deploy massive military and intelligence assets to restore normalcy to that part of the country.
“He has also approved that Zamfara State should be declared ‘a no-fly zone” with immediate effect.”
Monguno added that as part of strategies to reduce tension and restore order in all parts of the country, the intelligence and security communities had been mandated to go after all non-state actors, whose activities have been fueling chaos, for prosecution.
Monguno explained that the President has ordered the new service chiefs to reclaim all areas under the control of bandits, insurgents and, kidnappers and all others involved in criminal activities across the country.
“We are not going to be blackmailed. The government has the responsibility to assert its will. Citizens can reside wherever they want to reside. Anybody who is a criminal should be brought to book.
“The president has also warned against ethnic profiling. We have enough of chaos. Any individual that thinks he can cause disunity should have a rethink,” he said.
