President Muhammadu Buhari’s “No-Fly Zone” over Zamfara State has pitted him with the state Governor, Bello Matawalle.
The president’s directive is not going down well with Governor Matawalle who is kicking against it.
No-fly zone, known also as a no-flight zone (NFZ), or air exclusion zone (AEZ), is a territory or area established by a military power over which certain aircraft are not permitted to fly.
Such zones are usually set up in an enemy power’s territory during a conflict, similar in concept to the aerial demilitarised zone.
National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, disclosed at the end of the National Security Council meeting held in the Presidential Villa on Tuesday that President Buhari has declared Zamfara a “no-fly zone” and also banned all mining activities in the state.
He said the actions were taken as a result of the high level of insecurity in the state.
But reacting to the development when Kayode Fayemi, Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), visited him on Tuesday, Matawalle said he was not sure Abuja understood the situation.
“It seems the Security Council doesn’t understand the nature of the security problems in Zamfara State but if they decided to take such action let them go ahead.
“I’m not afraid of anybody and the problem of insecurity in the state predated my administration.
“Nigerians are waiting to see the outcome of the Security Council resolution to see if these bandits would be crushed. If the Federal Government fails to crush them after this resolution, then Nigerians will understand that they only sat and served themselves tea, nothing more”, says the governor.
He also said that he has started investigating those behind the abduction of students of Government Girls Secondary School, Jengebe, Zamfara.
Fayemi on his part said the federal and state authorities must work hard to put an end to the spate of kidnappings in the country.
Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi accompanied Fayemi on the visit.
