The Kebbi Government has raised the alarm over the infiltration of a new tërrør grøup identified as “Sai Malam” in the state.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security and Home Affairs, Col. Hassan Riba (rtd), raised the alarm during a stakeholders’ meeting with the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan-Disu, in Birnin Kebbi.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Rilwan-Disu was represented by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Sulaiman Abdul, at the meeting held on Wednesday in Birniin Kebbi.
Speaking at the event, Riba disclosed that the sect was first discovered in Zuru Emirate and was dislodged by the security agencies.
Rida added that traditional rulers and community leaders have major responsibilities to ensure peace and stability in the state.
He noted that the state government was complementing the efforts of the federal government by providing logistics to security agencies to effectively address security challenges across the state.
The security aide added that Mobile Police had been deployed to Danko-Wasagu to curtail the infiltration of bandits.
In his remarks, Gov. Nasir Idris, represented by Permanent Secretary Kabir Adamu, said that the state government had distributed several vehicles, motorcycles, and other equipment to security agencies to boost their morale towards restoring peace across the state.
He emphasised the critical role traditional rulers could play in securing the state, stressing that collaboration among sister agencies and intelligence sharing would bøost security.
Reacting to the new sect’s emergence, the IGP said security agencies need to profile the new group before it gains ground and becomes a monster.
The IGP, represented by DIG Sulaiman Abdul, explained that security agencies need to focus on waterways and riverine areas to block channels through which criminals distribute weapons.
He appealed to traditional rulers and community leaders to trust security agencies and freely provide useful information to tackle insêçurity in the state.
