•State Kebbi raises the alarm

By LAWAL TAOFEEK

The Kebbi Government has raised the alarm over the infiltration of a new terror group 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.

He said: “We have one burning issue now, which is the discovery of another terror group. They are called ‘Sai Malam’.

“We dislodged them in Zuru when we discovered them. But I was in Argungu and I saw them again.

“They use blood for sacrifice among their members. It is high time the police to take note of this sect and dealt with it decisively.”

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 boost 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 insecurity in the state.

“What I will say here is this: please, trust us. If you have any information, share it with us.

“Whatever you do in the interest of security is protecting and defending your communities. Be free to tell us what we need to do,” he said.

NAN reports that the meeting was attended by representatives of traditional rulers, district heads, union leaders, and heads of security agencies in the state, among others. (NAN)