The Zamfara State Police Command has arrested a member of the State House of Assembly, a former local government chairman, and a district head in connection with banditry in the state. The arrests were announced by the State Police Commissioner, Muhammad Dalijan, during a meeting with Thomas Parker, the officer in charge of the Counterterrorism Unit within the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The police commissioner sought the UN’s assistance in establishing a forensic laboratory in the state to enhance investigation and prosecution of suspected criminals. He noted that the lack of a forensic laboratory in the state has made it difficult to conduct thorough investigations, forcing them to travel to Lagos for forensic analyses.
Meanwhile, the UN has expressed its readiness to support the state in addressing insecurity. Governor Dauda Lawal had earlier requested UN assistance to tackle the security challenges in the state. The UN team, led by Parker, is currently assessing the security situation in the state to understand the root causes of the problems and provide necessary support.
In a related development, families of 56 people kidnapped in Niger State have received a ransom demand of ₦150 million from terrorists, with a deadline of June 15. The terrorists have threatened to execute five captives daily if their demands are not met. The kidnappings occurred in several villages in Munya and Shiroro Local Government Areas, with the terrorists demanding a ransom of ₦60 million for each victim. The affected communities have attempted to negotiate, offering ₦60,000 and later ₦100,000 per victim, but the terrorists have refused to budge.
