The suspension of Colonel Rabiu Garba (retd), the Commandant of the Community Protection Guards in Zamfara State, has been announced by the Zamfara State Government. The suspension, effective immediately, was communicated in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Nakwada, on Wednesday.
According to the statement, the appointment of Colonel Rabiu Garba as the state Commandant of the Community Protection Guards has been suspended by the Zamfara State Government. The suspension takes immediate effect.
Although the statement did not specify the reason for Garba’s suspension, it is believed to be linked to comments he made during a recent radio interview. In the interview, Garba criticized the state government for its alleged failure to adequately fund the Community Protection Guards since its inception earlier this year.
He highlighted that the guards had not received financial support or a takeoff grant from the state government despite being appointed four months ago. This lack of funding included issues such as not receiving their salary on time and facing challenges like inadequate fuel for their patrol vehicles.
Garba also emphasized that the lack of funds and logistical support had significantly hampered their ability to effectively combat banditry. He expressed his frustration about the government’s expectations for the guards to operate without proper financial backing, revealing that he had personally used his own money to purchase fuel for operations.
Accusing certain individuals within the government of sabotaging Governor Dauda Lawal’s efforts in the fight against banditry, Garba stated that despite efforts to communicate these challenges to the governor and other officials, no action had been taken to address their grievances.
If the situation does not improve, Garba warned that members of the Community Protection Guards would be compelled to resign.