Governors of Nigeria’s North-western states have in recent time taken a hitherto uncharted course of ‘locking down’ their states in an audacious move at tackling the menace of insecurity in their domains.
Governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto; Aminu Masari of Katsina; Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna; Abubakar Bello of Niger and Bello Matawalle of Zamfara, had in separate directives, placed restrictions on movements and some economic activities in frontline areas in their states.
The North-west had become a hotbed of criminality, notorious as a haven for all sorts of outlaws who include terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, killer herdsmen and other marauders.
The measure, though not a bang as a full scale declaration of a state of emergency would have been, it was not a whimper either. It was a move bold enough to suggest the ‘we cannot take this anymore’ handwriting on the wall.
Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger states all recently woke up from slumber to shut roads, ban sales of animals in certain markets and stopped inter-state cattle movements amongst other measures.
In the case of Katsina State, Masari signed into law the Security Challenges (Containment) Order, with a view to closing some of the security gaps in the state.
His media aide, Abdul Malumfashi, explained that the 12-point Order, which took immediate effect, banned the transportation of cattle from Katsina State to any state in the country as well as trucks/lorries carrying firewood from the bush and the sale of all animals at the markets of Jibia, Batsari, Safana, Danmusa, Kankara, Malumfashi, Charanchi, Mai’adua, Kafue, Faskari, Sabuwa, Bauer, Dustin and Kaita Local Government Areas.
The government also announced other measures among which include the suspension of sales of animals at markets in 14 Local Government Areas of the state.
The affected councils are Jibia, Batsari, Safana, Danmusa, Kankara, Malumfashi, Charanchi, Mai’adua, Kafur, Faskari, Sabuwa, Baure, Dutsin-ma, and Kaita.
The government also announced that only two designated filling stations can sell fuel and that it must not be more than N5, 000 to motorists in each of the following 14 councils – Jibia, Batsari, Safana, Danmusa, Kankara, Faskari, Sabuwa, Dandume, Musawa, Matazu, Dutsin-ma, Kurfi, Danja and Kafur while it also reinforced its total ban on the sale of fuel in Jerry cans throughout the state.
The Order also banned the sale of second-hand motorcycles at Charanchi market, just as it forbids anyone from carrying three persons on motorcycles as well as carrying more than three passengers on a tricycle.
In addition, it declared closed, the Jibia-Gurbi Baure road to all motorists until further notice and Kankara-Sheme road to all commercial vehicles.
In like manner, Tambuwal of Sokoto State also banned the movement of cattle in lorries across 13 LGAs as indicated in an Executive Order he recently signed in addition to the existing one as part of efforts by the government to tame the menace of insecurity in the state.
His Commissioner for Information, Isah Galadanci, in a statement indicated that the governor had banned the transportation of cattle in trucks and lorries across 14 LGAs, while sale of all livestock was suspended in all markets across 12 LGAs.
The Order which took immediate effect provides for the immediate total closure of Isa Marnona road to all motorists until further notice. Travelers plying that road were advised to go through Goronyo-Sabon Birni axis.
“While we wait to see how effective these measures would be, we think it is commendable and underscores a new found political will by those saddled with responsibility of protecting the people to ensure that the greatest number enjoys the greatest good”
In like manner, “Lorries/Trucks or other vehicles carrying firewood from the forests are hereby prohibited. Suspension of the sale of all animals at the markets of Gada, Goronyo, Gudu, Ilela, Isa, Kebbe, Sabon Birni, Shagari, Rabah, Tambuwal, Tangaza, Tureta and Wurno local governments areas stopped.”
Similar to that of Katsina State, the Order in Sokoto also prohibits, “the carrying of three persons on motorcycles and more than three passengers on a tricycle across the state,” while the sale of “second-hand motorcycles” at Gada, Goronyo, Gudu, Ilela, Isa, Kebbe, Sabon Birni, Shagari, Rabah, Tambuwal, Tangaza, Tureta, Achida, Gande, Gwadabawa and Wurno markets was also banned.
In the same vein, commercial tricycles and motorcycles were prohibited from operating between 10pm and 6am in the state capital, and 6pm to 6am in Gada, Goronyo, Gudu, Gwadabawa, Illela, Isa, Kebbe, Sabon Birni, Shagari, Rabah, Tambuwal Tangaz, Tureta and Wurno LGAs.
The governor urged residents of the state “to adhere to the provisions of the Order, adding that it was “passed after wide consultation with all stakeholders and constituted authorities as well security and law enforcement agencies.”
Tambuwal added that, “The Government has taken the measure out of the need to introduce additional countervailing measures in the affected areas in order to contain banditry and mitigate the damages it is causing to social and economic activities and preserve peace.”
The same story played out in Zamfara State as it also suspended movements of livestock across borders, shuts weekly markets and restricted the number of passengers a motorcycle could carry at the same time.
Bello Matawalle, the state governor, issued the suspension order in a statement issued by Zailani Bappa, his media aide. The Order came after the abducted students of the College of Agriculture, Bakura, regained their freedom after spending 11 days in captivity.
According to the statement, Matawalle also ordered the closure of weekly markets across the state, while transportation of food items will be subject to verification.
It added that “Henceforth, all filling stations in the state are banned from selling fuel except in Gusau and the 14 local government headquarters. In addition, no eligible filling station is allowed to sell fuel of more than N10, 000 to a single customer.
The above accounts show clearly that those in positions of authority have inkling as to where lay the problems confronting the people. They also show that those terrorizing the poor citizens of these states were taking undue advantage of the freedom of movement that is for all just as they must have been exploiting such common place things as transporting cattle and firewood from one point to another to perpetrate heinous crimes.
While we wait to see how effective these measures would be, we think it is commendable and underscores a new found political will by those saddled with responsibility of protecting the people to ensure that the greatest number enjoys the greatest good.
We equally note that the federal government is conspicuously missing in all the narratives. It should not be. If it could impose a lockdown occasioned by COVID-19 across the country, it can also do same in areas prone to terrorists’ attacks, kidnappings and other forms of violent acts against the people.
