By Safiyanu Ladan
The nefarious activities of bandits in Zaria and its environs are walloping. It was in 2019 that, for the first time, I heard about the kidnapping incident in Zaria, which saw the abduction of Malama Rabi Shamaki, a lecturer at the Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria. Since then, several such incidents have been reported in various places in the ancient city. However, on several occasions, the security operatives had been said to have thwarted their evil plans of unleashing mayhem on the people.
The operatives of Kaduna State Police Command, while on surveillance patrol on 23rd December 2022, intercepted motorcycle riders with suspicious concealed bags in Basawa, Zaria LGA of Kaduna state.
In a bizarre circumstance, upon being stopped for search, one of the riders jumped down and escaped, heightening the operatives’ suspicious minds.
The timely intervention of the police has led to the successful recovery of Four(4) AK-47s, three hundred and forty-four (344) live ammunition, and ten (10) telephone handsets and charms from the other suspect.
The courageous efforts of police and other security agencies in taming the security challenges in Zaria and its environs have undoubtedly yielded the desired result. However, much still needs to be done to arrest the deteriorated and fragile condition.
Collaborating with security agencies to weed out the criminals in the communities is paramount. Hence, the need for people to be security conscious and proactive in reporting criminal elements to the appropriate authority.
In the meantime, I would like to appeal to the residents of Zaria to report any suspicious characters to the police or other security personnel. Helping security personnel in intelligence gathering will go a long way to nip in the bud the intended evil activities of bandits and other outlaws roaming in the nooks and crannies of the community.
Safiyanu Ladan wrote from Zaria via uncledoctor24@gmail.com.
