IN a significant move to addr
ess escalating security threats, Nigeria’s Zamfara State has mobilised civilian volunteers for the Community Protection Guards (CPG), with Governor Dau
da Lawan emphasising their role in supporting security agencies. ‘The guards comprise youth volunteers from all localities and they are to supp
ort the security agencies confronting terrorists, bandits, and criminal ele
ments,’ announced Governor Lawan during
the launch in the state capital, Gusau. The recruitment of 4,200 youths aims to bolster the fight against Boko Haram and bandits in the northwest region.
Gen. Aliyu Mohammed Gusau, former Nigerian military intelligence chief and ex-National Security Adviser, justifies the use of civilian guards, highlighting the vastness of the country’s
landscape: ‘Civilian participation is require
d to confront the security problem.’ The government takes charge of training, equipment, and wages for the volunteers.
This initiative comes at a crucial time, as security threats, including terror and bandit attacks, and kidnappings for ransom, have surged in the northwest region. Governor Lawan attributes the surge in insecurity to the need for civilian part
icipation in counter-terrorism efforts, addressing the challenges posed by the vast and diverse landscape of the country.
