The Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, has called for the extension of the retirement age of personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to 70 years.
The governor spoke on Sunday in Maradun town, his country home, when he received a coalition of civil society organisations who conducted a peaceful rally in support of his government’s recent security policies on residents bearing arms.
He said if the Federal Government could extend the retirement age of medical doctors, university lecturers and judges, it was also good to extend a similar gesture to the security officers.
Matawalle lamented that the majority of security personnel were retiring at a level when their services were most needed.
“The Federal Government needs to look at the age of retirement for the Army, police and other security officers with a view to extending it to 70 years like those in the judiciary, academics and medical line.”
Matawalle regretted that despite several measures his administration has taken to end banditry, the situation has persisted.
“We started a dialogue with the bandits, we closed markets and sales of petroleum and also, shutdown telecommunication networks, but all these never worked,” he lamented.
Speaking earlier, the leader of the coalition of civil societies in the state, Adamu Kwatarkwashi, said they were in Maradun town, to express their support for the security policies introduced by the state government.
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