Zamfara State Government has banned the activities by timber loggers, firewood sellers and transporters over alleged trade by barter with armed bandits and cattle rustlers.
The action was the latest in the series of measures adopted by the state government to curb the activities of armed bandits and cattle rustlers wreaking havoc on the rural communities of the state.
The Zamfara State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Bello Dankande Gamji said at a news conference that investigations had shown strong connivance between the loggers, transporters and the bandits.
He alleged that the activities of the firewood loggers and transporters had clearly indicated that there was strong alliance between them and the bandits.
The commissioner warned that whoever violated the order would be arrested and prosecuted.
“Imagine, the timber or firewood loggers and transporters go into the forest to cut trees and transport to the towns but the bandits and kidnappers who are domiciled in the forests never for once kidnap or kill them because of their mutual understanding of give-and-take”, he said .
Earlier the state government had asked two district heads to present themselves before the state headquarters of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps within 24 hours or risk being disgraced.
The district heads are Alhaji Bello Mai Wurno of Kaya district in Maradun Local Government Area and Alhaji Aliyu Dangaladima in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area.
The district heads had violated the order issued by the state government to stop fuel sales in containers across the state.
The state government had also banned sales of petrol in containers in the state in apparent move to cut supplies to motor bike-riding gangs of armed bandits wreaking havoc on the rural communities of the state.
“These district heads wrote letters to black marketers asking them to continue with their business as usual. We will not condone sabotage and we asked them to report themselves to NSCDC head quarters within 24 hours,” Gamji said.
