Prof. Abdullahi Shinkafi, The Secretary to Zamfara State Government, has identified inadequate security personnel as the major obstacles threatening peace restoration in the state.
Shinkafi said this on Saturday in Gusau at an interactive session with the National Economic Council Fact Finding Committee and stakeholders on security challenges in the state.
He said that the security operatives in the state were inadequate considering the population of the state.
Shinkafi said the state had only 2,000 conventional policemen as against the 8,000 required, 400 mobile policemen, 313 soldiers and 150 air force personnel.
He listed other problems as shortage of weapon among the security personnel, porous borders, low level of literacy and poverty.
The SSG maintained that frequent transfer of security personnel had also made it impossible for security agencies to understand the nature of security challenges in the state.
He appealed to the Federal Government to deploy more security operatives to the state and provide them with adequate funds to discharge their duties.
Senator Ahmed Sani said Zamfara was no longer facing farmers/herdsmen clashes but attack by criminals and insurgents and urged the federal government to intervene.
He also charged communities to contribute their quarter by providing useful information to security operatives.
Gov. Dave Umahi, the Chairman of the committee commended the effort of the state government and security agencies, noting that the security challenges in the state started with herdsmen/farmers clashes before moving to cattle rustling and insurgency.
He said there was need to improve herdsmen/farmers relationship as well as deployment of more security personnel to the state.
The event was attended by traditional and religious leaders, farmers, herdsmen and politicians
