The Commissioner of Police in Zamfara State, Kolo Yusuf, has pledged to eradicate insurgency in the state within three months. Yusuf made this commitment during a meeting with members of the state’s organized labour unions, religious leaders, civil society organizations, and journalists on Thursday.
While urging the suspension of the proposed nationwide protest by the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress scheduled for February 27 and 28, the CP linked the call for protest to the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu’s administration. He assured that within the next three months, all challenges related to insurgency would be effectively addressed.
Yusuf highlighted that both the federal and state governments have implemented measures to bring an end to the menace.
Yusuf said, “This problem did not start today. And the present government is all out to address the issue. The major problem associated with this is the withdrawal of fuel subsidies, and it was not done by this government.
“So, we need to be patient with this government because it is not this government that withdrew fuel subsidies. What this government needs now is prayer. People are calling for industrial action here and there. Even the trade union wanted to embark on industrial action, but they listened to me after I appealed to them, and suspended their threats.
“By the time all of you here don’t work, you will bring the state down to its knees. The bandits are there and refuse to allow anyone to farm. I don’t sleep anymore. I keep calling DPOs and area commanders just to resolve the problem.
“By the grace of GOD, in the next three months, all the problems will be resolved. All machinery has been put in place by both federal and state governments to end the insurgency. So let us support the government to end insurgency and forget about going on strike.”
The organised labour had planned a two-day nationwide protest over the high cost of living, inflation, insecurity and hardship in the country.
However, in another twist, the TUC backed out of the planned protest, saying that the decision to protest on the said dates was not taken collectively by both unions.
In his response to the police boss, the TUC chairman, of Zamfara State, Saidu Mudi, said the group couldn’t back down on the protest as it hadn’t been ordered by its national leadership.
He said, “You were there, you witnessed the session. He has spoken as the CP on how he wanted the labour unions to back down on the strike actions. But for us, there is no way that we can shelve our planned strike because we have not received any directive from the national leadership. We are going ahead with it except an agreement is reached.”
