Zamfara State Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle has said the military lacked modern equipment required to end insecurity ravaging parts of the country.
He said the absence of equipment was part of the reason why insurgency and banditry persisted.
He spoke when he received the Federal Government’s delegation on a sympathy visit to the state over the recent attacks on some communities in Anka and Bukkuyum Local Government Areas.
He said, “Despite the remarkable zeal of our troops, they lack modern equipment with which to prosecute modern warfare. Prosecution of modern warfare depends largely on modern war equipment and gadgets. It is very vital for these modern war instruments to be provided to our troops if we are to win this fight against banditry in Zamfara and the North West.”
“It is evident that unless enough modern equipment is provided to our security forces to fight the war effectively, the country faces the danger of anarchy. This could be foreseen from the recent calls by some leaders for their people to take up arms to defend themselves. It is a recipe for lawlessness when the state loses its monopoly over the instruments of coercion.
“As a matter of urgency, the Federal Government should procure Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) and deploy them across all parts of the country. If 1000 APCs could be made available, they would go a long way in turning the tide of the war against the bandits in a short period of time, Insha Allah.”
