Zamfara State’s new Commissioner of Police, Barrister Usman Nagoggo, has indicated his desire to employ dialogue as a weapon to end banditry in the state.
Nagoggo, who took over from his predecessor, Celestine Okoye, on Thursday, said that achieving peace with more dialogue and less use of force is desirable in Zamfara State and anywhere that is engulfed in crisis.
He noted that dialogue had immensely contributed to curtailing the activities of bandits when the former administration in the state inaugurated a special committee on disarmament and amnesty on February 26, 2016.
Nagoggo, who was Deputy Commissioner of Police in Zamfara State then, was the chairman of the committee.
He noted that dialogue was applied and it worked positively for peaceful disarmament of bandits in 2017, explaining that security agents were also used and that has also worked to some extent.
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He said: “To me, the use of dialogue and boardroom discussions positively affects the outcome of most conflicts.
“The activities of cattle rustlers/bandits have largely affected most parts of northern states of Nigeria.
“That of Zamfara is increasingly becoming more sophisticated and daring.”
The success of the committee, according to Nagoggo, lies in the trust the committee builds between the government and the bandits, adding that since channels of communication were opened, contact became easy.
He recalled that the 2016 committee was able to recover between 13 and 15 different calibres of arms, including rocket launcher, lamenting that the committee had to wind up prematurely for some reasons.
Nagoggo stressed that the Inspector General of Police has re-strategised and boosted the morale of police officers.
“No doubt, the launching of Operation Puff Adder is a watershed in the history of fighting crime and criminals.
“It is my conviction to implement all the policies initiated by the Inspectors General of Police.”
He however said this will only be possible with the support of all the stakeholders in the state with the press as partners in crime management.
The first step, he said, would be synergy with the security agents in the state, without whose cooperation nothing concrete would be achieved.
Nagogo further revealed that traditional rulers, being the custodians of custom and tradition, also hold the key to grassroots level and thus have great roles to play in the fight against bandits.
“What is most encouraging was the zeal and enthusiasm displayed by the executive governor of Zamfara State, His Excellency Bello Mohammed Matawalle. Since he came on board, he has shown leadership by example.
“He has taken on anybody that matters to assist him to achieve peace in Zamfara. To him, achieving lasting peace in the state is his cardinal principle in the first tenure,” he said.
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