Zamfara commissioner calls for three-day fasting over banditry

Bello Dankande, Zamfara commissioner for local government and chieftancy affairs, has called on residents to embark on a three-day fast in a bid to seek God’s intervention on activities of bandits and kidnappers in the state.

According to NAN, Dankande urged residents to embark on the fast while speaking at a press conference in Gusau, the state capital, on Tuesday.

The commissioner said fasting and prayers will put an end to the “ugly situation”.

“I am sure you all know the efforts the state government and the federal government are making to tackle the activities of criminal elements in the state,” he said.

“We believe that the fasting and prayers will facilitate Allah’s intervention for both the safety and success of our security men and bring the ugly situation to an end.

“These three days of fasting is voluntary to everybody because we are all either directly or indirectly affected by the situation. We are also soliciting for the intensive reading of the complete Holy Qur’an by Islamic scholars and their students to invoke Allah’s help.”

According to him, the state’s ban on wood logging has frustrated the activities of the bandits.

“The ban on wood logging and illegal sale of petrol had greatly frustrated the activities of bandits as the law had affected their food supply, fuel, among others,” Dankande said.

“The bandits received food, illicit drugs, alcohol and other supplies through the wood loggers and those who engaged in illegal sale of petrol to the bandits.”