IG sends more special forces to Zamfara

Following the February 14 murder of several persons in Zurmi, Zamfara State, the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, has deployed three additional units of the Police Mobile Force (PMF) in Zamfara State.

The IG spoke at the weekend when he visited the community.

Idris, who was accompanied by the Assistant Inspector-General (AIG), Zone 10, Sokoto, and commissioners in the zone, ordered them to be on the alert to avoid infiltration of their states.

He raised an investigation team, headed by the AIG, Intelligence, at the Force Headquarters.

The team will look into the  causes of the crisis, and recommend short, medium and long term solutions.

Police spokesman Jimoh Moshood said the deployment of additional units is to complement the state command.

He said: “To forestall further deaths and ensure that the perpetrators are arrested and brought to justice, the IGP directed the deployment of three additional units of PMF in the affected areas.

“This has brought to 10, the number of PMF units in the state .

“On the directives of the IGP, the Joint Special Investigation Team, headed by Assistant-Inspector General (AIG) Intelligence, has moved to Zamfara State to investigate the killings. The AIG will be assisted by the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID), the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Special Tactical Squad (STS), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Scene of Crime experts and the state command’s Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department who are already in Zurmi.

“The Joint Police Investigation Team is mandated to arrest and prosecute the culprits, investigate the incident to unravel the remote and direct causes of the killings, and prevent a recurrence.

“The Commissioners of Police in contiguous states to Zamfara, their personnel and supervising AIGs have been placed on red-alert by the IGP. They have also been directed to cooperate with the investigating team from the Force Headquarters.

“They are further directed by the IGP to arrest and disarm suspected bandits, militias and criminal groups in possession of prohibited firearms and restricted weapons.”