Zamfara Air Traffic Ban: Too Little, Too Late?

Something remarkable happened on Tuesday March 2, 2021; President Muhammadu Buhari placed a no-flight ban on Zamfara State and directed that all mining activities there should cease. Ordinarily, such far-reaching news items should have been celebrated across the nation. 

To appreciate the implications of the orders, we have to get the exact words used. Unfortunately, the President did not appear in person to deliver such far-reaching decisions; a remarkable squandering of an immense opportunity to put the Buhari mark on the anti-insurgency fight. Also that meeting of the Nigerian Security Council held for five straight hours and was chaired by the President himself should have shown his commitment to the fight if only he announced the decisions. 

Yet, the President chose to forgo this great opportunity of reassuring his nation, and the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen Babagana Monguno (rtd) delivered the President’s message to the nation. Addressing the State House Correspondents, he said: “His Excellency the President has approved the imposition and enforcement of a ban on all mining activities in Zamfara State with immediate effect until further notice. He has directed the Honourable Minister of Defence and the National Security Adviser to deploy massive military and intelligence assets to restore normalcy to that part of the country. He has also approved that Zamfara State be declared a no-flight zone with immediate effect. 

Now, all non-state actors that have been causing problems to the innocent peoples, not just in Zamfara State or the North-West zone but also in the North-East and other parts of the country, the South-South, have been placed under surveillance by the Intelligence Agencies. We have heard of collusion with peoples from all walks of life, therefore both the Defence Intelligence and the organisations have been charged that while we look forward to having a non-kinetic peaceful resolution, we will not allow this country to drift into state failure. 

With effect from today, the new Service Chiefs have been given a new directive by the Minister of Defence, from the President and conveyed by the Minister of Defence, to reclaim all areas that have been dominated by bandits, by kidnappers, and other scoundrels and scallywags.

Already the President has given directives to all the military and intelligence organisations to trail and flush out all the peoples that have been on our watch list. And I can assure you there are quite a handful of people on our watch list. They will be trailed and be rooted out and they will be brought to book and be prosecuted and be made an example of.” 

Three far-reaching directives are in that short speech, unfortunately, only one, the no-flight zone imposition, has caught the nation’s attention. Analysts overlooked “to deploy massive military and Intelligence assets to restore normalcy to (the North-West)”. Does that imply that Buhari was publicly snubbing the theatrics of Sheikh Gumi, many Governors and Northern groups who have made wild and unimaginable cases for the equally wild bandits; that they be compensated, 

 be whitewashed with immunity … as the only way towards peace?

I think so. But it is even more far-reaching than that; (that all non-state actors all across the country have been under surveillance and that) “We have heard of collusion with peoples from all walks of life”. 

Hey, what is the nature of such collusion for which people have been under surveillance? Time will tell. The NSA said: “Now, all non-state actors that have been causing problems to the innocent peoples, not just in Zamfara State or the North- West zone but also in the North-East and other parts of the country, the South-South, have been placed under surveillance by the Intelligence Agencies.” This must include the killer herdsmen or the entire speech would be as worthless as an empty puff of smoke. 

And here is the big question: why the need to slap a no-flight ban on Zamfara or anywhere for that matter? Or has even the President himself become convinced now that the bandits have been receiving supplies by air? If so, has Nigeria not wasted valuable time disdaining this charge? May we please recall a great controversy: “Storm over alleged helicopter supplies to herdsmen in Delta” was the exact title of the Vanguard story of March 25, 2017. Delta State House of Assembly member, Chief (Hon) Evance Ivwurie, representing Ethiope East Local Government Area, alleged that “suspected sponsors of Fulani herdsmen were allegedly making arms supplies to them with a helicopter at the barren region of Ovre-Abraka and Ovre-Eku in his constituency”. The state’s then Commissioner of Police, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, and the Department of State Service, DSS, according to that Vanguard report invited Ivwurie to “identify the helicopter and probably show it to the police, or else, they would take him into custody”. 

That was four years ago. As of the time of writing, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim is an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, having been promoted and has moved on to higher responsibilities. Perhaps, the DSS man who behaved like him could have been promoted too, they may yet play important roles in solving the mystery of who supplies hoodlums by air. That would be a remarkable irony; they would have had a head start of many years if…if what? And that is a great if. What kept them? 

In August 2019, the Niger Delta Voice published a confessional statement: Helicopters Drop Arms For Us in the Forest: I have Killed At least 5 People. – Fulani Herdsman”. According to the story; “Aliu Musa (20) an Arrested Fulani Herdsman has revealed that helicopters drop weapons for his boss inside Dinya Forest in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State. 

Salmanu Isa (18) another herdsman was paraded alongside Aliyu Musa. He said: “I once saw that aircraft with fans on its head (helicopter) drop weapons for my boss while we were inside the forest at Dinja. 

“It was hovering and was very near ground. The man inside would drop the weapons for my boss who would now couple the weapons for our use. 

“It is only my boss who would go and pick the weapons while we would be watching from where we stood.” Musa said he had killed at least five people during their various operations, adding that he was paid N17, 000 after each operation.

For six years, a discussion on a social media group, Nairaland has witnessed free for all cursing and abusage because of a news item lifted from January 29, 2015 Leadership newspaper “We Saw Helicopters Dropping Arms, Food For Boko Haram – IDPs” 

Leader of the Nigeria Vigilante Group in Monguno, Muhammed Sani, 50, said he had, on several occasions, spotted unusual delivery of items in big wooden boxes by air, and sacks being dropped in the bushes around Marte and Monguno where Boko Haram terrorists were camped. 

“Even before then, some of my colleagues and I have been sighting helicopters dropping items in sacks and some in boxes to them at the camp of Boko Haram near Chikungudu and Kwalaram villages. Many helicopters came to drop items packed in boxes and sacks to the Boko Haram insurgents at a bush camp between Monguno and Marte; then we would see the Boko Haram gunmen rushing to the spot to pick the dropped items,” he stated. 

Just after the FG announced the banning of flights over Zamfara, the Arewa Consultative Forum, asked that it be extended to Benue, Taraba and Borno states saying there were rumours that helicopters frequently dropped arms for bandits and insurgents operating in these states. “We believe that such an extended ban will curtail the operations of the criminals in these areas,” ACF said. 

Then on Thursday March 4, 2021, the Nation newspaper joined the air-supply-for-hoodlum’s allegation chorus with a story titled “Helicopters Dropping Weapons, Food for Bandits”. The story claimed: “There is credible intelligence that the bandits get their arms and ammunition by airdrop. Although Zamfara State has no airport, helicopters routinely fly into the state on a high number. It is believed that the action will lead to the cut off supplies to bandits’ cells in the forests by 70 to 90 per cent”. 

Yet, it added that “Besides, helicopters are also used to illegally transport gold minerals from (Zamfara) state. Top licensees and illegal gold miners were said to be involved in bitter guerilla ‘war’ in the state. The affected gold merchants include a firm belonging to a former Head of State, ex-governors, ex-ministers and influential businessmen. The rivalry led to the formation of banditry clusters by licensees and illegal miners”. 

Why did we waste all the precious years before Buhari decided to act on the reports that hoodlums were being supplied by air? If all the trouble makers are to be checkmated, and that includes the killer herdsmen, why has it taken this long to send a clear message to them, publicly? Especially after Shiekh Gumi who has enjoyed a cozy relationship with them and has served as their Ambassador has equated the herdsmen with angry Fulani herders? So, why did the NSA not mention them directly by name? 

Also why did it take years before action is taken against illegal mining of a mineral as valuable as gold? If Nigeria regulates crude petroleum exploitation, why did it surrender the Zamfara gold to illegal miners? And why didn’t Nigeria learn a fast lesson from the terrible experience three African countries reaped from “Blood Diamond” – the Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Sierra Leone’s bloody conflicts? If the illegal mining is not for ever so that the central government would take it over as it does the oil deposits, we may have just postponed the evil day. 

That is why this great move, this wholesome move, this worthy-of-applause move, to curb insurgency everywhere in the country, may just be too little, too late. 

For six years, a discussion on a social media group, Nairaland has witnessed free for all cursing and abusage because of a news item lifted from January 29, 2015 Leadership newspaper “We Saw Helicopters Dropping Arms, Food For Boko Haram – IDPs” 

Leader of the Nigeria Vigilante Group in Monguno, Muhammed Sani, 50, said he had, on several occasions, spotted unusual delivery of items in big wooden boxes by air, and sacks being dropped in the bushes around Marte and Monguno where Boko Haram terrorists were camped. 

“Even before then, some of my colleagues and I have been sighting helicopters dropping items in sacks and some in boxes to them at the camp of Boko Haram near Chikungudu and Kwalaram villages. Many helicopters came to drop items packed in boxes and sacks to the Boko Haram insurgents at a bush camp between Monguno and Marte; then we would see the Boko Haram gunmen rushing to the spot to pick the dropped items,” he stated. 

Just after the FG announced the banning of flights over Zamfara, the Arewa Consultative Forum, asked that it be extended to Benue, Taraba and Borno states saying there were rumours that helicopters frequently dropped arms for bandits and insurgents operating in these states. “We believe that such an extended ban will curtail the operations of the criminals in these areas,” ACF said. 

Then on Thursday March 4, 2021, the Nation newspaper joined the air-supply-for-hoodlum’s allegation chorus with a story titled “Helicopters Dropping Weapons, Food for Bandits”. The story claimed: “There is credible intelligence that the bandits get their arms and ammunition by airdrop. Although Zamfara State has no airport, helicopters routinely fly into the state on a high number. It is believed that the action will lead to the cut off supplies to bandits’ cells in the forests by 70 to 90 per cent”. 

Yet, it added that “Besides, helicopters are also used to illegally transport gold minerals from (Zamfara) state. Top licensees and illegal gold miners were said to be involved in bitter guerilla ‘war’ in the state. The affected gold merchants include a firm belonging to a former Head of State, ex-governors, ex-ministers and influential businessmen. The rivalry led to the formation of banditry clusters by licensees and illegal miners”. 

Why did we waste all the precious years before Buhari decided to act on the reports that hoodlums were being supplied by air? If all the trouble makers are to be checkmated, and that includes the killer herdsmen, why has it taken this long to send a clear message to them, publicly? Especially after Shiekh Gumi who has enjoyed a cozy relationship with them and has served as their Ambassador has equated the herdsmen with angry Fulani herders? So, why did the NSA not mention them directly by name? 

Also why did it take years before action is taken against illegal mining of a mineral as valuable as gold? If Nigeria regulates crude petroleum exploitation, why did it surrender the Zamfara gold to illegal miners? And why didn’t Nigeria learn a fast lesson from the terrible experience three African countries reaped from “Blood Diamond” – the Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Sierra Leone’s bloody conflicts? If the illegal mining is not for ever so that the central government would take it over as it does the oil deposits, we may have just postponed the evil day. 

That is why this great move, this wholesome move, this worthy-of-applause move, to curb insurgency everywhere in the country, may just be too little, too late. (Independent)