A group of elder statesmen in Zamfara State has raised alarm over the indiscriminate release of arrested bandits and their collaborators by the authorities in the state.

The group urged the law enforcement agencies to stop the act, citing it as one of the factors, responsible for the escalation of the insecurity in the state.

The group raised the alarm during its meeting in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, where it recommended the revitalisation of Community-Based Associations to generate funds for the establishment of primary and secondary schools to offer free education to orphans who lost their parents as a result of banditry to prevent the reoccurrence of insecurity in the future.

A former federal lawmaker, Senator Saidu Dansadau, addressed journalists shortly after the meeting.

While acknowledging that the security situation in the state had improved significantly following the shutdown of telecom services, he admitted that places like Birnin Magaji, Shinkafi, and Zurmi Local Government Areas still face incessant attacks by bandits.

“The committee expresses its dismay and disappointment for indiscriminate release of criminals by the authorities who either arrest them or to whom the criminals are handed-over when they are arrested by the military, vigilante group or any other security organisation,” he said.

“We appeal to the law enforcement agencies in the state to, for the sake of God, have a paradigm shift from this indiscriminate release of criminals and result to arraigning the criminals in the court of law because the meeting identified this indiscriminate and incessant release of criminals as one of the immediate causes of the escalation of criminality in the state.”

Members of the group consist of traditional rulers, religious leaders, senior citizens, and some political officeholders who came together to see how they can mobilise Muslims and Christians to pray for the return of peace and to support the government to succeed in the fight against banditry in Zamfara State.