ISWAP Establishing Camps In Gusau Local Council – Zamfara Govt Raises Alarm

The Zamfara State Government has said that members of the Islamic State in West African Province (ISWAP) have been setting up camps around Mutu village in Mada District, Gusau Local Government Area of the state.

The Chairman Committee on Prosecution of Banditry-Related Offences, Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, made the disclosure during a press conference on Monday in Gusau, the state capital.

Shinkafi, a member of the State Committee on Security and Intelligence Gathering, stated that the government received intelligence that the terrorists are in the state and establishing camps.

According to Shinkafi, the ISWAP members entered the state through the Danjibga-Kunchin Kalgo axis in the Tsafe Local Government Area of the state.

The aide to Governor Bello Matawalle disclosed that hundreds of armed men had pencilled down several towns and villages for attacks in recent times.

Matawalle Orders Reopening Of Broadcast Stations, Apologises For Action

Speaking further, Shinkafi apologised for the closure of five broadcast stations in the state shutdown on Saturday night and ordered the reopening of the affected stations.

Naija News reports that the stations closed include the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Gusau, Federal Radio Corporation Pride FM Gusau, Al’umma TV, Gamji FM, and Gamji TV.

He said Matawalle was upset by the alleged violation of the executive order, adding that the governor acted within the ambit of the law to shut down the media outfits.

He said, “The executive governor of Zamfara State Bello Muhammad Matawalle, has acted within the ambit of the law when he signed Executive Order 10, shutting down broadcast stations in the state. He acted within the ambit of the law based on Chapter 2, Section 14 and subsection 2b of the Nigeria Constitution and for security reasons.

“The powers of the executive, legislature and judiciary are clearly spelt in the Nigerian constitution. Therefore the action taken was to make sure that the state is safe and secure unless if you are not a Nigerian and you don’t want to understand the context of the matter.

“The action taken by the state government was based on security reasons but not to muzzle free speech as being insinuated in some quarters. The security of people and property in the state is sacrosanct.

“We have seen what various interest groups have said: the NUJ, NBC, IPI and we understand their concerns but what the BON said is a personal attack on the executive governor of the state. Nevertheless, on behalf of the state government, we are apologising for our action.”