PRESIDENT BUHARI CONSOLES THE PEOPLE OF ZAMFARA,APOLOGIZES FOR DELAY IN STATE GOVERNMENT REFUND

President Buhari today paid a visit to Zamfara state. While addressing stakeholders in the state over the repeated herdsmen/cattle rustler crisis in the state, President Buhari pledged to address the security challenges in the state before the commencement of this year's rainy season.

He made the pledge when he spoke at a town hall meeting with Zamfara traditional rulers, opinion leaders and other stakeholders at the Government House, Gusau.

"Your governor knows how I have been in touch with the Inspector-General to redeploy a number of police officers and to reinforce those available. Of course I spoke to the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Defence Staff and in their exercise they have made some success, but to me they need to do much more especially the police. In every town at least there is a police station. They are not given uniform and the rifle just to impress anybody but they are supposed to be sending intelligence and warning that something is about to happen. I don't think I will say much about the armed forces but I will like to notice and make sure that there will be improvement before the rainy season,'' he said.

On the recent killing of notorious bandit, Buhari Tsoho, in the state, President Buhari directed the nation's intelligent units to find out more information on the deceased with a view to arresting all members of his gang. He also challenged Zamfara state government to go to the archives and identify the grazing routes and meet with fellow governors so as to come up with strategy to check farmers/herdsmen clashes in the state.

President Buhari who said he was in Zamfara to console with the people of the state over the killings of innocent people and destruction of their property by bandits, apologized for the delay in refunding state governments of the funds they expended on reconstruction of federal roads.

He said he has directed the minister of Power, Works and housing, Babatunde Fashola, to compile all outstanding payments of refunds to those states that executed federal projects to specifications.