The Zamfara State Government has halted eleven cattle markets in the state until further notice.
Munnir Haidara, the state’s Commissioner for Information, revealed this in a statement on Wednesday, stating the decision was made in response to security information that the robbers were selling their rustled calves in the marketplaces.
According to Haidara, the markets affected are Tsafe and Bilbis in Tsafe local government, Jangebe in Talata-Mafara local government, and Wuya in Anka local government.
Others are Magamin Diddi market in Maradun Local government, Galadi market in Shinkafi local government, Mada market in Gusau local government and Sabon Birnin Danali in Birnin Magaji local government.
Those of Sabon Birnin Dan Ali, Kokiya, Chigama and Nasarawar Godel markets all in Birnin Magaji local government were also not left out.
“The state government finds it absolutely necessary to close down these markets due to security reports that the bandits are conniving with some unscrupulous elements to sell off their rustled cows in those markets,” he stated.
He said that the state government has directed the security agencies to ensure compliance and arrest any person who violated the order.
“The security personnel have since been directed to arrest any person found in these affected markets.”
Haidara called on the people of the state to abide by the order and cooperate with the state government in its efforts to rid the state of banditry activities.
Northwest and central Nigeria have been long terrorised by bandit militias operating from bases deep in forests and raiding villages to loot and kidnap residents for ransom.
A jihadist conflict has raged in northeastern Nigeria since 2009, killing tens of thousands of people and displacing around two million, as Boko Haram battles for supremacy with rivals linked to the Islamic State group.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former Lagos governor elected in February in a highly contested ballot, has promised to attract more investment to Africa’s largest economy and most populous country in a bid to tackle its persistent security challenges.