Declaration of No-Fly Zone, an attack on Zamfara people by FG – CPA

The Centre for Public Accountability (CPA) has expressed regrets over the desperate attempt by the Federal government, to politicise the security situation in Zamfara State, noting that the recent declaration of a ‘No-Fly Zone’ on the state coupled with a ban placed on mining activities, were targeted at further destabilizing the effort of the state government towards addressing the spate of insecurity in the state.

CPA, in a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Olufemi Lawson, questioned why Zamfara is the testing ground for the Federal government’s declaration of no-fly zone, when in actual fact, there have been previous alarms raised by Nigerians, in states across the country, most especially in the Northeast and North Central zones, about how arms and ammunition are supplied to criminal elements, with the aid of aircrafts.

The statement reads: “We consider the admission by the Presidency, that criminal elements now get their supplies, through the aid of aircrafts, as an indictment of those responsible for managing our airspace and national security, which further confirms our believe, that the incumbent administration has lost the capacity, to further guarantee, the security of lives and properties of Nigerians, which ordinarily should be its primary responsibility.

“We are constrained to believe, that the decision of the presidency, is a direct attack targeted at the Zamfara State Governor, Hon. Bello Matawalle, over his recent revelations, on the roles, played by some highly placed individuals, towards truncating the state government’s effort at rescuing the recently abducted over 270 girls of the Government Girls Science Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara state.

“It is also hypocritical of the Federal government, to take such a swift decision, without consultation with Stakeholders in Zamfara state, at a speed it never took, during similar scenarios witnessed in President Buhari’s home state of Katsina and of recent, Kagara in Niger State.”

“Rather than making this kind of unpopular action towards addressing the insecurity in Zamfara, a situation that has been largely traced to the mismanagement and maladministration of the state, under the previous administration, particularly between 2011-2019, when Mr. Abdulaziz Yari was in saddle, as the governor, We wish to remind the Federal government, that it is her primary responsibility to make sure that lives and properties of all citizens are protected, without any iota of political consideration. When this is lost, then there is nothing like governance again.

“We are therefore demanding for an immediate reversal of the Federal government’s no-fly zone order, while asking that genuine nationwide inquiry be launched into the claims, that criminal elements, now get their arms and ammunition supplies, through our airspace, a situation, that should worry any serious Government, particularly, those who have been saddled with the responsibility managing our national security.

“Is the FG telling us it doesn’t know owners of jets in Nigeria again? There is nothing we will not see in Nigeria.”