ACF asks Buhari to declare Benue, Taraba, Borno no-fly zones

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to declare Benue, Taraba and Borno states no-fly zones.

Following the recent abduction of students of Government Secondary School, Jangebe, President Muhammadu Buhari declared Zamfara a no-fly zone as part of measures to crush bandits operating in the state

The president also banned mining activities in Zamfara.

Commenting on the development, Audu Ogbeh, chairman of the ACF, said there are rumours that aircraft “frequently drop arms for bandits and insurgents” operating in the aforementioned states.

Ogbeh said the extended ban will curtail criminal activities in the areas.

He also congratulated the Zamfara state government on the safe release of the Jangebe girls.

“Arewa Consultative Forum congratulates the people and government of Zamfara state on the safe release of the kidnapped schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School in the state,” the statement reads.

“We are also happy with the federal government’s decision to ban flights in the state.

“We also plead with the government to extend the ban to other states like Benue, Taraba, Borno where there are rumours that helicopters frequently drop arms for bandits and insurgents operating in these states.

“We believe that such an extended ban will curtail the operations of the criminals in these areas.”

TheCable had earlier reported that the forum asked security agencies to treat Bello Matawalle, Zamfara governor, as an accomplice if he fails to name the abductors of the schoolgirls.