POLICE IG ORDERS IMMEDIATE DEPLOYMENT OF ADDITIONAL THREE UNITS OF PMF TO TROUBLED ZURMI LG OF ZAMFARA STATE

In his determination to ensure that peace and normalcy is restored in Birani village and Zamfara state in general, Nigeria's Inspector-General of Police has directed the deployment of additional three units of Police Mobile Force (PMF) to the troubled areas, to forestall further loss of lives.

Reports monitored from the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN revealed that, armed men suspected to be cattle rustlers had on 14th February, killed 18 persons in  Birani village of Zurmi Local Government Area of the state.

The report also disclosed that seven PMF units were recently deployed to the state to augment the personnel of the Police Command there in Zamfara state.

Spokesman for the NPF, CSP Jimoh Moshood in a statement issued, said the Inspector General of Police gave the directive for additional reinforcement after a visit to the state to carry out on-the-spot assessment of the incident.

"The IGP, who was accompanied by the AIG Zone 10, Sokoto, and Commissioner of Police in the zone, held a stakeholders’ meeting with the people", he said.

The PPRO said that that a joint investigation team headed by the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of intelligence at the Force Headquarters was also dispatched to the state.

"The team was under a definite and strict mandate to arrest and bring to justice the perpetrators of the killings and investigate the remote and direct causes of the mayhem".

"They are further directed by the IGP to arrest and disarm all suspected bandits, militias and criminal groups in possession of prohibited firearms and restricted weapons in the region", Moshood stated.

CSP Moshood also said that "the IGP has also placed Commissioners of Police, their Supervising Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and all Personnel of the Force in States Contiguous to Zamfara on red alert".

According to Jimoh, "normalcy has been restored in the area and the situation is under control".

He assured the people of Zamfara and other states in the country of adequate protection of their lives and property.

"The Force, therefore, encourages the people to go about their lawful activities without fear or apprehension but support and cooperate with the Police personnel deployed in their localities", the stated concluded.

(NAN)