Yari offers to quit as Zamfara governor

Abdulaziz Yari, governor of Zamfara state, says he is willing to sacrifice his position should a state of emergency be imposed on the state over the worsening insecurity.

Yari, who had expressed support for the declaration of state of emergency to tackle the widespread killings in the north-west state, said some politicians had suggested the idea on the assumption that he was afraid to lose his office.

But he said he was prepared to do anything to ensure peace and security in the state.

Yari spoke with state house correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja, on Thursday.

“I’m not playing politics with it (declaration of state of emergency). I’m serious about it,” Yari said.

He also said the high rate of crime in the state would not affect the forthcoming elections, adding that the bandits are not occupying any territory in the state.

Yari said he met the president over the security situation in the state, saying the issue of armed banditry was being exaggerated.

Asked whether he discussed the declaration of emergency with Buhari, he said, ” not at all.”

According to him, if the security agencies were serious, the insecurity in Zamfara would be easily brought under control.

“There is no place being occupied by the armed bandits in Zamfara state. They live and operate in the forest. They strike and run. Most of the camps are known by locals,” he said.

Lamenting the lack of presence of police in many parts of the state, he said policemen redeployed from the state following Buhari’s directive had not been replaced.

He said the president had directed that policemen who had spent three years and above be redeployed as a strategy to address crime in the state.