The newly appointed Commandant of the Zamfara State Community Protection Guards (CPG), AIG Muhammad Dalijan (retd.), has declared that he has “no excuse” to fail in tackling banditry and other criminal activities in the state, following the provision of modern security equipment by Governor Dauda Lawal.
Naijaonpoint reports that Dalijan made the pledge while receiving his appointment letter as the head of the state-owned security outfit, according to a statement issued on Sunday by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Secretary to the State Government, Suleman Ahmad Tudu.
The retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police said Governor Lawal had equipped the Community Protection Guards with all necessary logistics, including armoured carrier vehicles and other state-of-the-art equipment, to enable effective operations across the state.
He said the level of support from the state government placed a huge responsibility on his shoulders to deliver tangible results in the fight against insecurity.
“With the equipment provided by the state government, I have no excuse not to perform and meet the expectations placed on me,” Dalijan said.
Dalijan, who disclosed that he was among the pioneer trainers of the guards during his tenure as Commissioner of Police in Zamfara State, said his familiarity with the outfit’s operations would help him reposition it for better performance.
He noted that understanding the strengths and limitations of the CPG would enable him to address gaps and improve its operational efficiency.
The new commandant also pledged to deepen collaboration with conventional security agencies, stressing that defeating banditry required coordinated action and intelligence sharing.
“I will strengthen inter-agency cooperation and work closely with other security agencies to take the fight to bandits’ enclaves,” he said.
Presenting the appointment letter and policy guidelines for the overhaul of the CPG, the Secretary to the State Government, Malam Abubakar Mohammad Nakwada, charged the new commandant to uphold professionalism, discipline and strict adherence to approved rules of engagement.
Nakwada warned that the Lawal administration would not tolerate deviations from established standards, stressing that compliance with standard operating procedures was crucial for accountability and lawful conduct.
“The immediate and overriding priority before you is the restoration of clear and effective command and control across all formations of the CPG,” the SSG said.
“This requires the re-establishment of an unambiguous chain of command, strict enforcement of discipline, and proper alignment of authority and responsibility in accordance with approved structures,” he added.
According to Nakwada, a unified command architecture was necessary to eliminate operational drift, internal contradictions and unauthorised actions within the outfit.
He said the measures would reposition the Community Protection Guards to work more effectively with sister security agencies and help restore public confidence in the state’s security architecture.
The SSG also commended the immediate past commandant, Brig.-Gen. M. L. Bature (retd.), for his service and dedication to the state.
He further disclosed that Governor Lawal had approved the indefinite payment of the former commandant’s monthly salary to support the management of his health, assuring him of the government’s continued support.