Friday, September 17, 2021, marks exactly two weeks since the Zamfara state government shutdown Global System for Mobile Communications across its 14 local government areas, as part of strategies to tame banditry in the state.
The state Governor, Muhammad Bello Matawalle, who announced suspension of the GSM services in the state two weeks ago, said the decision was part of his administration efforts in fight against banditry.
Daily Telescope observed that banks, operators of internet café and that of the popular Point Of Sale (POS) as well as other businesses that largely depend of GSM network services were compelled to suspend their services courtesy of non-availability network service in the state.
Banks and shops whose services relay on GSM services within the state capital and some major towns of the state have remained locked in the last two weeks due to non-availability of GSM mobile services.
During the first week, residents from the neighboring Tsafe local government and environs use to go Yankara in Faskari local government and Funtua town in Funtua local government to make some calls.
Our reporter gathered that life become unbearable to many residents in the state especially those whose livelihood depends on the GSM.
The rural dwellers, Daily Telescope observed were also affected by the suspension of the network service, as communication between them and their loved ones that are either residing in the city or other states become impossible.
The bandits, Daily Telescope learnt, were negatively affected by the development, as they were also prevented from communicating with their informants and or families of kidnapped persons to negotiate for ransom.
So, it was learnt that some of the bandits were forced to flee Zamfara state completely while others shifted their operations to the neighboring Sokoto and Katsina states respectively.
Daily Telescope gathered that within the first week of the suspension of the mobile services in Zamfara state, suspected bandits from the famous Zamfara Dogon Hawa forest, shifted their operations to Sokoto, thereby attacking six villages in Tureta, Dange-Shuni and Zurmi local governments of the state.
They have killed scores of their victims and kidnapped many others including women during the attacks.
However, their actions, prompted governors of the affected states, Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina) and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto) to also suspended mobile services in the three local government areas of Bodinga, Tureta and Dange-Shuni in Sokoto state and 13 others in Katsina state including Funtua, Faskari and Malumfashi that shared border with Zamfara state.
Daily Telescope gathered that Zamfara state government has two days ago, announced the extension of the suspension of mobile network service in the state by two more weeks.
Governor Matawalle appealed to the people of the state to exercise patience as the decision was for their own good, saying government will do everything possible to cripple activities of bandits in the state.
A resident of Tsafe, Muhammad Sani Yusuf, expressed satisfaction with the suspension of mobile services in the state, noting that “although, we are facing some difficulties in conducting our daily activities, but we rather endure this than to test mighty of bandits.
“We preferred this hardship than spending days or months in the bandits’ den under the sun and rain. Nobody will love to spend even a night with bandits. I prepare spending three months without mobile service than spending a night with bandits.”
Alhaji Shehu Ibrahim, another resident said “I appreciate the governor’s recent decision, but he should also do something urgent to alleviate the suffering being faced by some villagers who are currently trooping into Talata Mafara town for safety.
“We learnt that, a house belonging to the leader of dreaded bandits, Kachalla Turji located in a village under Tsafe local government was said to have been set ablaze by some angry youth. So, some communities around the village vacate their villages for fear of attack by members of Turji’s gang.
“I am appealing to the governor to come to the rescue of these people by sending troops to protect their lives and properties.”
