Zamfara Assembly Prescribes Death Penalty For Banditry, Kidnapping

The Zamfara Assembly yesterday passed an executive bill to provide a law for the prohibition and punishment for banditry, cattle rustling, cultism, kidnapping, terrorism and other incidental offences.

Speaker Nasiru Magarya, said the passage of the bill became necessary, “considering its position in contributing to peace and stability in the state.”

He directed commended Governor Bello Matawalle for introducing new policies and measures to curtail insecurity.

Meanwhile, the house gave a bill to provide a law for the establishment of Zamfara College of Nursing Science Gusau, its first reading.

This followed a motion by the leader of the house, Alhaji Faruku Dosara.

The house also screened and confirmed five nominees presented by Matawalle as a commissioner and special advisers.

They are Muhammad Abubakar-Gummi, former Deputy speaker of the house, who was screened and confirmed as commissioner-nominee, Sambo Garba-Marafa, Abdulkadir Muhammad, Muhammad Kabiru and Bala Dakitakwas as special advisers.

This development comes on the heels of the governor’s directive that residents should arm themselves against bandits.

The governor also directed the police command to issue gun licences to all who qualify and are willing to obtain firearms to defend themselves.

Recall that the state had the second-highest number of deaths from non-state actors in the first quarter of 2022, with 327 cases.