There’s no Fulani herdsmen terrorists along Kaduna-Zaria road — Commissioner

The Kaduna State Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, Wednesday, said the Kaduna-Zaria road was safe for travellers and other road users.

The commissioner was reacting to a viral message that the road was unsafe, thereby, heightening tension in the state.

This was as the Kaduna State Vigilance Service said its officials apprehended no fewer than 100 suspects in connection to various offences ranging from banditry and kidnapping to drug trafficking in the state within the last six months.

Aruwan, in a statement, urged residents to ignore the viral message alleging huge presence of bandits at Dumbi and Jaji along the Kaduna – Zaria highway, adding that it was a deliberate attempt to spread panic in the state.

The Commissioner said, “the attention of the Kaduna State Government has been drawn to a widely circulated message advising citizens not to enter or exit Zaria, alleging the presence of hundreds of bandits at Dumbi and Jaji along the route to Zaria.

“The Kaduna State Government wishes to firmly debunk that message, and urges citizens to disregard it completely. It is an obvious attempt to spread panic.

“The Kaduna State Government assures all citizens and travellers that the Kaduna-Zaria route is safe for travel. Residents are urged to go about their normal activities and pay no attention to the false report.”

Meanwhile, the Commander of the Kaduna Vigilance Service, Brigadier-General Umar Ibrahim (retd.) while parading three suspected illicit drug suppliers in the state, said the agency arrested 100 suspected bandits, drug suppliers among others in the state.

He said the suspected criminals were arrested across different parts of the state within the last six months.

The Commander, who handed over suspects and the illicit substances to officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, noted that the arrests by his men followed a tip-off on the activities of the drug traffickers in the state.

According to him, the suspects were nabbed during sting operations across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.

He also urged residents of the state to cooperate with security agencies to rid the state of kidnapping, banditry and other related offences across the state.

The Commander said, “generally, we have arrested over 100 ranging from bandits to carriers of hard drugs. Of course, we have the strength, all we need is motivation from the public.

“The government is doing its best to assist the KADVS to fight terrorism, together with other security agencies. We are doing our bits, it is not something we will come out and tell you what we have been doing.”