President Buhari Directs Security Agents To Shoot Anyone Seen With Guns Like AK-47

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a clampdown on bandits by directing security agencies to shoot anyone seen with sophisticated weapons like AK-47.

The Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu disclosed this in an interview with the BBC on Wednesday, March 4, 2021.

According to him, the government is resorting to lethal force on bandits who have refused to surrender in Zamfara and other northern states.

“The president has ordered security forces to go into the bushes and shoot whoever they see with sophisticated weapons like AK-47.

“He ordered that whoever is seen with terrible weapons at all should be shot immediately,” Shehu said.

Shehu also said the Federal Government has declared Zamfara a ‘no-fly zone’ following intelligence that arms were being transported to the bandits with private jets.

He said the jets are also used to cart away gold from the state to Dubai, which, according to him, prompted the ban on mining activities also announced on Tuesday.

“These jets are being used to pick up gold that is being mined in some parts of Zamfara and exported. This is strong because at the moment,” he said.

“There is a Nigerian gold market in Dubai. The government is losing, the people of this country are losing, that’s why it is said that gold mining is banned for those who are not made by the government.”

Ana amfani da jirage wajen kai wa 'yan ta'adda makamai a Zamfara – Fadar Shugaba Buhari pic.twitter.com/ZQC1LXH51Z

— BBC News Hausa (@bbchausa) March 3, 2021

President Buhari’s order comes one week after Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, begged Fulani herdsmen not to carry AK-47 rifles, following the backlash he received for defending the use of weapons by herders.